23rd October 2025, NewsOrient, News, Law And Society, Governance And Development
Photo Credit: Channels Television

Detained Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has agreed to enter his defence at the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja.

He made this decision shortly after Omoyele Sowore – led protests in Abuja publicly demanded his (Kanu’s) immediate release from the prolonged detention at the facility of Nigerian Secret Police, the DSS.

NewsOrient recalls that last Thursday, Kanu had filed a motion of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to continue with his trial.

He filed the objection the same day a team of medical experts enpanelled by the court to determine his health status, turned in a report that he was medically fit to stand trial.

However, in a fresh motion he personally filed on Tuesday, October 21, Kanu indicated readiness to enter his defence.

Kanu also informed the court, Presided by Justice James Omotosho, of his plan to call a total of 23 witnesses divided into two categories: “ordinary but material witnesses,” and “vital and compelable” category, which he said shall be “summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.”

In the notice Kanu personally signed, the IPOB leader prayed the court to grant him a 90-day timeframe to enable him conclude his defence. This, he said is in consideration of the number of witnesses he intends to call.

Among those Kanu listed as “compellable witnesses” are a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), as well as Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma, Governors of Lagos and Imo States respectively.

He further listed current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, his Works’ counterpart, Dave Umahi, and the immediate past governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.

He also listed the immediate past Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the immediate past Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, his then-collegue at the State Security Service, SSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and several witnesses whose identities he didn’t reveal.

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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