Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer representing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has appealed to his supporters to exercise restraint.

He made the appeal in a statement on Sunday ahead of the resumed trial of the IPOB leader, which comes up at the Federal High Court Abuja today (Monday).

Ejiofor said, “As we prepare for legal fireworks in court tomorrow (Monday), I wish to extend my best compliments to our teeming supporters, who will endeavour to witness the commencement of the hearing on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case tomorrow.

“I further wish to urge restraint and civility in all quarters tomorrow. It is your constitutional right to be in court to witness the court’s proceedings, but your engagement, dressing and conduct should be civil.”

He also assured Nigerians that there would be no violence on the court premises, contrary to fears that there could be such.

The statement added, “I also wish to remind the security agents that the court’s environment is a public place, accessible to everybody and not a battleground; they should be civil in their engagement as no violence is envisaged and none will happen.

“The world is here already and they will be watching. All notable world class media houses are here already.”

Kanu, who was said to have jumped bail and was rearrested in Kenya, will stand trial before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court on charges bordering on treasonable felony.

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Meanwhile, a pro-democracy group, Concerned Nigerians, has demanded that Justice Nyako recuse herself from the IPOB leader’s trial.

The convener of the group, Deji Adeyanju, made the demand on his verified Twitter handle, @DejiAdeyanju, on Sunday.

He said it was doubtful if the judge could be neutral enough to handle Kanu’s trial because he jumped bail, which she earlier granted him in 2017.

Adeyanju, in a series of tweets wrote, “I am of the view that Justice Nyako is not neutral enough to adjudicate on the Nnamdi Kanu case, because her husband is a prominent Fulani leader in West Africa and has hosted African Fulani groups in Adamawa several times.

“Kanu has consistently insulted and abused Fulani. I, therefore, think Justice Nyako should recuse herself from the Kanu’s case honourably.

“Let me quote the Supreme Court in FRN vs MKO Abiola (1995): ‘Justice must be rooted in confidence and confidence is destroyed when right-minded people go away thinking: The judge is biased.’”