Nnamdi Kanu Defends Self In Court As Lawyers Withdraw From Trial
Lead counsel for Nnamdi Kanu, Kanu Agabi, has applied to withdraw from representing the detained self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), stating that the defendant had taken the case back from his legal team.
All the senior advocates of Nigeria on the defence team have also withdrawn from the suit, a development Kanu confirmed in court.
The defendant told the court that he would be representing himself for now, though that might change later. When the judge asked if he should be assigned a lawyer, he declined the offer.
Defending himself orally, Kanu argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to try him.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), said the IPOB leader has the right to defend himself and that they wish him well.
“A number of voices have been defending Nnamdi, and he has decided to conduct his defence by himself. He has the right to do so, we respect that decision and we wish him well going forward,” Agabi said.
The IPOB leader returned to the Federal High Court Abuja, on Thursday to open his defence in the suit instituted against him by the Federal Government on alleged terrorism.
The case is presided over by Justice James Omotosho.
When the case was called, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who had led Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team until Thursday, announced his decision, along with other SANs on the team, to withdraw from the case.
He named the other SANs withdrawing as Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Joseph Akubo (SAN), Paul Erokoro (SAN), Emeka Etiaba (SAN), and one other.
After Kanu confirmed the sacking of his lawyers, Justice Omotosho then ordered other members of the defendant’s legal team who were in court, except the SANs, to vacate the courtroom immediately.
The judge then turned to the defendant and asked him to open his case.
Kanu commenced arguing about the jurisdiction of the court to further conduct his trial, but was subsequently overruled by the judge, who insisted that he must proceed with his defence.
At that point, Ikpeazu intervened and drew the court’s attention to the fact that their (Kanu’s lawyers’) withdrawal took effect on the morning of Thursday.
He prayed the court to grant Kanu some time to gather his thoughts and compose himself for the task ahead.
The prosecuting lawyer did not object, following which Justice Omotosho adjourned the case till Friday, October 24, for Kanu to open his defence.
In a motion he personally filed on Tuesday, Kanu assured the court that he was prepared to begin his defence “pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on October 16, 2015, directing the defendant to commence his defence on October 24, 2025.”
Kanu informed the court of his plan to call a total of 23 witnesses, divided into two categories.
The first category, he said, would be those he called “ordinary but material witnesses”.
He further informed the court that his second category of witnesses would be “vital and compellable” and shall be “summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011”.
In the notice Kanu personally signed, suggesting that he may have fired his team of lawyers led by Kanu Agabi, SAN, the IPOB leader told the court that, in view of the number of witnesses he intends to call, the court should consider granting a 90-day timeframe to enable him conclude his defence.
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He told the court that he would “testify on his own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of his statements and actions.”
Among those Kanu listed as “compellable witnesses” are a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), as well as Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma, Governors of Lagos and Imo States respectively.
He further listed current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Nwike, his Works’ counterpart, Dave Umahi, and the immediate past governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
He also listed the immediate past Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the immediate past Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, his then-collegue at the State Security Service, SSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and several witnesses whose identities he didn’t reveal.
