The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has finally complied with the Federal High Court in Abuja’s order to open his defence in the terrorism charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
The development follows months of resistance, during which the embattled IPOB leader insisted he would not respond to the charges without clarity on the specific law allegedly violated.
Kanu began filing his defence documents on Friday directly in the courtroom, following instructions from Justice James Omotosho.
The judge had earlier directed that the court’s registry be temporarily moved into the courtroom to accommodate the IPOB leader’s complaints and ensure he could complete the filing process without further delay.
Meanwhile, lead counsel to the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), confirmed to the court that he was ready to receive the defence documents directly from Kanu’s team.
“We will take the processes as presented and respond in line with the law,” Awomolo stated, expressing optimism that the trial could now proceed without further delay.
At the time of filing this report, proceedings were briefly stood down for one hour to allow Kanu’s lawyers to complete the documentation process.
Outside the courtroom, a member of IPOB leader’s legal team, who preferred not to be named, told reporters that the decision to file the defence was
“a strategic move to ensure the case is determined on its merits rather than on procedural distractions.”
The court is expected to reconvene once the filings are confirmed, paving the way for the long-awaited defence phase in the terrorism trial.
