The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), resumed on Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, marking a significant development in the long-running legal saga.
Presiding judge Justice James Omotosho granted a Federal Government request to shield prosecution witnesses behind screens during testimony — a move aimed at protecting their identities due to the sensitive nature of the charges.
At Tuesday’s resumed hearing, Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, informed the court of a 22-member defence team. However, Justice Omotosho approved only the 13 lawyers previously listed. Four senior advocates — Audu Nunghe, Joseph Akubo, Emeka Etiaba, and Onyechi Ikpeazu — have now joined the legal team defending Kanu.
Kanu is facing charges of terrorism and treasonable felony, first filed in 2015 after his arrest in Lagos. Progress on the case has stalled repeatedly over the years, preventing the prosecution from calling witnesses or tendering evidence until now.
Initially, Kanu was charged alongside four co-defendants, but in 2018, then-trial judge Binta Nyako separated his case from the others after he fled Nigeria. This allowed proceedings to continue against the remaining defendants while Kanu remained outside the country.
Kanu was re-arrested by Nigerian authorities in Kenya and brought back to the country in June 2021, reigniting the case.
The resumed trial is seen as a key moment in a case that has captured national and international attention due to its political and legal implications.
More details shortly….
