From Kayode Lawal, Abuja.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to admit the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People’s of Biafra IPOB bail in the terrorism charges against him.
The Court on Tuesday declined to grant Kanu bail on the ground that the earlier application he filed had been refused.
Justice Nyako held that the only option opened to Kanu was to have gone to Court of Appeal to challenge the earlier refusal.
The Judge also refused to give unfettered access to just anybody to visit Kanu in the custody for security reasons.
Kanu had on February 26 applied for a fresh bail and predicated his request mainly on the ground that he may not be able to put up a good defence in the charges against him unless admitted to bail to have unfettered access to his lawyers.
He also claimed to be suffering from acute hypertension and acute heart disease, among others.
The federal government, however, objected to the request on the ground that Kanu was once granted bail but jumped and fled the country.
Justice Nyako asked the defendant to proceed to Court of Appeal to ventilate his anger against the earlier decision of the Court rather than coming back with the same request.
Meanwhile, the federal government being represented at the proceedings by Adegboyega Awomolo SAN is pressing for opening of the trial in the terrorism charges.
At the time of this report, counsel to Kanu led by Alloy Ejiamakor are consulting on the next line of action.