…..as DSS block media coverage, lock out journalists
ABUJA– Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has pleaded not guilty to the seven-count amended charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
Kanu, who was docked before trial Justice Binta Nyako, said he was innocent of all the allegations FG levelled against him, after the charge was read to him in the open court.
His re-arraingment came on day the Department of State Services, DSS, blatantly refused to allow even a single journalist inside the courtroom.
Though this reporter and six other Journalists were intitially cleared at the main gate of the court to enter the premises, upon his arrival at the door leading to the courtroom, arm-wielding operatives of the secret service denied him 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 then, you will receive briefing on what happened”, one of the hooded operatives stated.
Meanwhile, a source inside the courtroom, notified Vanguard that the embattled IPOB leader toook the amended charge at about 10:45am.
Judge Bars Journalists From Covering Nnamdi Kanu’s Arraignment
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court on Thursday prohibited judiciary journalists from covering the trial of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the Federal High Court Abuja.
As at the time of filing this report, some of the reporters allowed into their press centre, at down floor, were bared from coming out while those at the entrance of court two, at 5th floor were locked out completely.
This was the second time in about three months, the Federal Government has refused journalists access to cover the trial of Nnamdi Kanu.
On why journalists were stopped from gaining entrance into the courtroom, one of the security operatives, said they are awaiting directives from the trial judge, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, on how many journalists should be allowed to go in and cover the proceedings.
On July 26, the last day of adjournment, the trial judge, it was learnt from security operatives and the court authority, only approved 10 journalists to cover the trial.
The security agent who addressed few journalists at the entrance of Justice Nyako’s courtroom, simply explained that the instruction was that journalists should be confined to their press centre from where they would be screened to go in to cover the proceedings after getting clearance from the trial judge.
Daily Independent reports that prior to the proceeding, though a terrorism charge, there was no valid court order directing secret trial of the IPOB leader.
On July 26, the court only ordered that five lawyers each from both the prosecution and defence teams are to be allowed into the courtroom.
However, in a bid to validate the information at the disposal of journalists, it was further confirmed by a source who preferred anonymity that the judge said no list of journalists was sent to her table.
“When we pushed your case to allow at least 6 journalists to enter the courtroom, the judge said she didn’t see any list and that they should have forwarded it through her secretary, the source said.
Recall that on June 29, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, had during a press conference, said Nnamdi Kanu was “intercepted” through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and security services, on June 27.
After spending two days in the custody of the Department of State Service, on June 29, the IPOB leader was produced in court for continuation of his trial after disappearing, while on bail on an 11-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
