Detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, made a significant shift in legal strategy on Tuesday by notifying the Federal High Court in Abuja of his readiness to begin his defence.
This move came shortly after fresh protests led by 2023 presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore called for his release across parts of Abuja.
Kanu had previously challenged the court’s jurisdiction to try him, but reversed course just days after a court-appointed medical panel declared him fit to stand trial.
In a new motion filed personally on October 21, Kanu expressed his intention to comply with a 2015 court order directing him to open his defence on October 24, 2025.
He indicated plans to present 23 witnesses, including a mix of voluntary and subpoenaed individuals, and requested 90 days to complete his defence.
He also suggested he would testify on his own behalf and appeared to signal a split with his legal team, previously led by SAN Kanu Agabi.
Among the high-profile individuals Kanu seeks to call as witnesses are retired General Theophilus Danjuma, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and several others currently or formerly holding key government positions.
While asserting that he would not delay court proceedings, Kanu pledged to submit sworn statements from voluntary witnesses and keep the prosecution duly informed.
Meanwhile, on the same day Kanu filed his motion, his special counsel Aloy Ejimakor and 12 others were remanded by a magistrate court in Abuja following their arrest during protests.
The group faces charges including conspiracy, inciting disturbance, and breach of public peace, and is scheduled for arraignment on October 24.
The case continues to stir both legal and political tension amid ongoing calls for Kanu’s release and scrutiny of how his trial is being handled.
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