Heavy security, journalists barred as Kanu court trial resumes

There is tight security at the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday morning as the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is produced to face his trial.

Journalists eager to cover the court proceedings were chased away from the premises. His lawyer along with prominent Igbo leaders who came to the court were also prevented by security operatives from gaining access into the Abuja courtroom.

This was similar to what happened on October 21 with heavy deployment of security personnel in and around the court premises when the case came up.

A large number of security personnel were deployed to the court premises and its surroundings  to forestall security breaches.

Entrances leading to the court premises were barricaded by combined armed officers of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, the Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence and the Nigeria Police Force.

Vehicles were not allowed into the court compound.

However, court staff and journalists, whose names are on the list for the coverage, are allowed access into the building at the time of filing the report.

Although five media houses would be given access into the courtroom out of the list presented to the DSS operatives, a number of media practitioners would be asked to stay at the Media Centre in the court basement.