Biafra nation agitator, Nnamdi Kanu, has finally complied with the directive of the Federal High Court in Abuja to file his defence in the terrorism charges instituted against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The development marks a major step forward in the long-running trial, which has been delayed for months due to a series of objections and procedural disagreements raised by Kanu and his legal team.
Kanu is presently filing his defence documents inside the courtroom, in compliance with the order of Justice James Omotosho. The judge had earlier directed that the defence must be formally entered before the next stage of proceedings could begin.
Following numerous complaints from Kanu regarding difficulties in accessing the court’s registry, Justice Omotosho ordered that the registry be temporarily relocated to his courtroom to enable the filing to take place immediately. This move was aimed at removing any administrative bottlenecks and ensuring that the process was transparent and fair to both parties.
Counsel to the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), informed the court that he was prepared to receive the defence documents from Kanu’s team within the courtroom and to respond in accordance with the law.
As of the time of this report, the filing of the defence papers was still ongoing. The judge temporarily stood down proceedings for one hour to allow Kanu’s lawyers to complete the process.
Before now, Nnamdi Kanu had repeatedly declined to open his defence, maintaining that he must first be shown the specific provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act under which he was charged. He had argued that the charges were unclear and that his rights were being violated by what he described as an unfair trial process.
Kanu, who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been facing terrorism-related charges since his arrest and extradition to Nigeria in 2021. His detention and trial have attracted widespread attention both within and outside Nigeria, with several human rights groups calling for transparency and fairness in the proceedings.
Today’s filing marks the first time since the trial began that Kanu has officially entered his defence before the Federal High Court. It signals what may become a new phase in the legal battle between him and the Federal Government.
Proceedings are expected to resume later in the day after the defence documents are fully filed and acknowledged by the court.
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