Nnamdi Kanu to represent himself, as lawyers withdraw from case
Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu will now be representing himself in court, as his lead counsel Kanu Agabi, and other Senior Advocates involved in the case, withdrew their representation of the defendant on Thursday, in his ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu is facing a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, which was filed against him by the Federal Government.
Agabi informed the court on Thursday that he would no longer be representing the IPOB leader, as the defendant had decided to take back the case from them.
Kanu confirmed the development, informing the court that he would be representing himself going forward, though the position, according to him, might later change.
He however declined being assigned a lawyer to represent him when asked by the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho.
In his opening address, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him.
Due to the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case, Justice Omotosho had on October 16 granted the defendant six consecutive days, starting from October 23, to open and close his defence.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015. He however fled the country after being granted bail in 2017 but was later re-arrested in 2021, remaining in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since then.
The Federal Government maintaining its charges against Kanu, accused him of inciting violence through IPOB’s activities and calling for south-east secession from Nigeria.
In a new application filed before the Federal high Court in Abuja on Tuesday, Kanu said he was prepared to proceed with his defence, where he informed the court of his intention to call two categories of witnesses — the ordinary but material witnesses and the vital and compellable witnesses.
Among his vital and compellable witnesses, Kanu listed former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd); a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), among others, whom according to him, would be summoned under section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.
