Deborah Akinyosoye
The Federal High Court in Abuja has slated Friday for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, to open his defence to the seven-count terrorism-related charge the Federal Government charged against him.
The case was adjourned to enable Kanu, who had earlier sacked his legal team, to prepare to personally represent himself during his defence proceedings.
A former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, SAN, who hitherto led the defendant’s legal team, had at the resumed proceeding on Thursday, announced his withdrawal from the case.
Agabi, SAN, disclosed that the IPOB leader, who has elected to defend himself, took the case file from him and other senior lawyers who were part of his team.
Following Kanu’s confirmation of the development, trial Justice James Omotosho ordered every lawyer that previously announced appearance for the defendant in the case to vacate the courtroom.
He only allowed the SANs to remain in the court.
With the lawyers’ exit, the trial judge ordered Kanu to proceed with his defence.
In his first submission as his own lawyer, Kanu challenged the jurisdiction of the court to continue his trial.
Even though the embattled IPOB leader was overruled by Justice Omotosho, who insisted he must open his defence, it took a quick intervention by one of the SANs, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, to persuade the court to adjourn the proceeding till Friday.
Dr. Ikpeazu drew the attention of the court to the fact that the withdrawal of the former defence lawyers took effect on Thursday morning.
He, therefore, pleaded for the defendant to be granted a short time to gather his thoughts and compose himself for the task ahead.
The request was not opposed by the federal government’s team of prosecutors led by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.
It will be recalled that Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, had in a fresh motion he personally signed and filed before the court, named several individuals that included serving governors, ministers, ex-governors and security chiefs, among the 23 persons he intends to produce as his witnesses.
Describing them as vital and compellable witnesses in his case, Kanu urged the court to grant him a 90-day period to enable him to open and conclude his defence.
He argued that expanding the initial six-day period, the court gave him to conclude his defence has become necessary in view of the number and status of the witnesses he intends to produce to give evidence in the case.
Among the proposed witnesses in the principal list he submitted before the court, included the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike; the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; as well as a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd).
Others are the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd); the immediate past Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; as well as the former Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi.
Kanu, in the motion dated October 21 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, equally hinted that he would call other persons whose names were not on the list he submitted.
He wants the court to issue a subpoena (summons) to compel the attendance of all the proposed witnesses whose evidence he said would establish his innocence of the charge against him.