The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, has postponed the defence hearing of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), after he requested additional time to prepare for his terrorism trial.
During Friday’s session, Kanu, who appeared in court carrying a bundle of documents, informed the judge that he intended to represent himself. He explained that his former legal team, led by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kanu Agabi, had not yet released his case file, preventing him from preparing adequately for his defence.
The court had adjourned proceedings on Thursday following Kanu’s sudden decision to dismiss his legal team, which had only recently taken over his case. As a result, no lawyer represented him in court on Friday.
Kanu asked the court to postpone the trial to allow him time to retrieve his file and review it. He also revealed plans to call 23 witnesses—both local and foreign—and urged the court to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) to permit his foreign witnesses to meet with him. Additionally, he requested that his lawyers be allowed to visit him on weekends, a request the judge approved.
Prosecuting counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) described Kanu’s claim as unusual, noting that the defendant had recently spent hours in private meetings with his former lawyers. Awomolo reminded the court that Kanu had already been granted six days to present and conclude his defence and urged that the schedule remain unchanged.
Justice Omotosho, however, granted the adjournment in the interest of fair hearing, despite expressing doubt over Kanu’s claim that his former counsel withheld the case file. He warned that the repeated delays in the case were affecting the progress of other pending trials.
Kanu, who holds both Nigerian and British citizenship, faces terrorism charges linked to his campaign for the secession of Nigeria’s South-East region. He was first arrested in 2015 over his broadcasts advocating the creation of an independent Biafran state. After being granted bail, he fled the country in 2017 following a military raid on his residence in Abia State. He was rearrested in 2021 and has since remained in DSS custody.
The case, which has passed through four different judges and several defence teams, took another turn on Thursday when Kanu dismissed his Agabi-led legal team, opting to represent himself. Speaking to journalists after the court session, the dismissed lawyers said Kanu was within his rights to conduct his own defence and wished him success in doing so.
Next hearing has been scheduled for Monday.
