Justice Binta Nyako has fixed a date to rule on an application seeking to transfer the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, out of the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
The judge of the Abuja federal high Court fixed May 20 for ruling.
Justice Nyako adjourned for ruling after listening to arguments on the application.
Kanu’s lead counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, informed the court that Kanu’s continued detention in DSS facility would mitigate the accelerated hearing ordered by the court.
Ejimakor said, “We seek the transfer of the defendant from the DSS’ detention to a house arrest or other similar places of custody or similar law enforcement agency’s custody.
“It is important to do so, my lord. The application did not arrive in a vacuum. We made it orally and were directed to put it into writing. We are offering solutions to assist in accelerating hearings ordered by the court.
“It is not strange to have a defendant detained in a house arrest. Sambo Dasuki and El-ZakZaky have enjoyed this in the past.”
But, the prosecutor, Adegboyega Awolomo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application.