Separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu entered a not-guilty plea on Friday to seven counts of terrorism and treason in Nigeria.
This marks the commencement of a new trial under the watch of a fourth presiding judge.
Kanu, a British citizen leading the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), advocates for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.
His legal journey has been fraught with repeated postponements and judicial changes since his initial arrest in 2015.
Kanu had disappeared while on bail in 2017 before being rearrested in Kenya in 2021.
Judge James Omotosho has now scheduled trial dates for April 29, May 2, and May 6.
During the proceedings, Kanu’s new defense lawyer, Kanu Agabi, offered apologies for his client’s past courtroom outbursts.
These apologies were directed towards Justice Binta Nyako, who recently recused herself, as well as the prosecution and Kanu’s previous legal counsel.
IPOB’s campaign for a separate Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria stirs memories of a devastating civil war.
The conflict from 1967 to 1970 resulted in over a million deaths.
Nigerian authorities have officially designated IPOB as a terrorist organization amidst ongoing tensions.