The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has agreed to meet with his lawyers before continuing his defence in the terrorism case brought against him by the Federal Government.
This decision came on Wednesday during his appearance at the Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice James Omotosho.
The judge had advised Kanu to seek proper legal guidance after he again claimed that the charges against him were not valid under Nigerian law.
Kanu, who had previously refused to proceed with his defence, later told the court that he would consult with his legal advisers.
He named his team as Nnaemeka Ejiofor, Aloy Ejimakor, Maxwell Okpara, and Mandela Umegborogu.
Justice Omotosho granted an adjournment till November 7, 2025, giving Kanu more time to prepare. This will be the fourth time the court has postponed proceedings to allow him to either open his defence or formally decline.
The judge stressed the importance of a fair trial and said the court would “bend backward” once more in the interest of justice.
Kanu had in October dismissed his former legal team led by ex-Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN).
He had also said he would defend himself and listed 23 people he planned to call as witnesses, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
However, the IPOB leader later changed his mind, saying there was no need to defend himself since “the charges against me are unknown to any valid law.”
On Wednesday, he maintained that position, insisting that “The Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act has been repealed. I cannot put up a defence under a repealed law.”
Led by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the prosecution reminded the court that it had already closed its case on June 19, 2025, after presenting five witnesses.
The court had earlier ruled that a prima facie case had been established against Kanu, but the defendant has since delayed opening his defence, citing lack of access to key documents.
The judge again advised him to work closely with lawyers experienced in criminal matters before the next hearing.
Recall that in September, the court held that the Federal Government had presented enough evidence to proceed with trial, after which Kanu began representing himself before later reversing that decision.
