- Pix:(above) Nnamdi Kanu(R) and his SpecialCounsel, Bar Aloy Ejimakor, inside the Court today, October 21
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Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has pleaded not guilty to the seven-count amended charge by the Federal Government preferred against him.
Kanu, who was docked before trial Justice Binta Nyako, said he was innocent of all the allegations levelled against him, after the charge was read to him in the open court.
As in the previous appearance, his re-arraingment came on the day the Department of State Services (DSS) refused to allow Journalists inside the courtroom despite repeated assurances from the directorate.
Though, our correspondent, and six other Journalists were intitially cleared at the main gate of the court to enter the premises, upon their arrival at the door leading to the courtroom, arm-wielding operatives of the secret service denied them entry.
The operatives insisted their action was based on “order from above”.
They made it clear that no Journalist would be allowed to enter the courtroom till the end of the proceedings.
“You people can go to your press center and wait till the end of the matter, after which you will receive briefing on what happened”, one of the hooded operatives stated.
Meanwhile, the court has turned down the request by Kanu for transfer from the Department of State Services facility to the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
After taking his plea, his lawyers led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor told Justice Binta Nyako that he had an application seeking his transfer from the facility of the Department of State Service to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kuje. But the application was denied.
Earlier, Kanu’s lawyer had objected to the seven counts preferred against his client, subsequent upon which Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the matter to November 10 to hear the objection.
Ejiofor had said that his client needed to leave the DSS custody so that they could have unrestricted access to him.
After the court rose, the DSS whisked Kanu away through a side entrance of the court./SHARE THIS