Connect with us

News

Amid Mild Drama, Nnamdi Kanu Finally Opens Defence As Court Sets Nov 20 for Judgment

Published

1 month ago

on

Biafra separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu finally complied with the Federal High Court in Abuja’s order to open his defence in the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

Kanu, who had previously resisted proceeding with his defence, began filing his 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 Kanu’s complaints and ensure he could complete the filing process without further delay.

Speaking in court, Federal Government counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) confirmed he was ready to receive Kanu’s defence submissions and respond as required.

While Kanu was still in the process of submitting his documents, Justice Omotosho temporarily adjourned proceedings for an hour to allow the filing to continue uninterrupted.

Before now, Kanu had consistently refused to open his defence, insisting that the prosecution first clarify which specific terrorism law he was alleged to have breached before he could respond.

Justice Omotosho after waiting for Kanu to open his defence, announced adjournment till November 20 for judgment.

The step by step process as witnessed in the court:

Justice James Omotosho stood down the matter after the prosecutor, Adegboyega Awomolo, applied for a stand down to allow Mr Kanu file the document.

The development occurred shortly after the case was called, and Mr Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), alleged that officials of the State Security Service (SSS), where he is being detained, did not allow him to file the process in his defence.

“My lord, I don’t know how to say this. I have a process here to file, which has not been allowed for the last three days.

“I have the process for my defence. I don’t know if my lord will allow me to file it for my defence,” he prayed.

Justice Omotosho then sought a response from the SSS officers in court on why Mr Kanu had not been allowed to file the document.

One of the operatives of the security agency stood up and addressed the court.

The officer said after the adjournment on Wednesday, Mr Kanu told them that he wanted to file a process.

“We waited for him (Kanu) and he could not file the process, and we left,” he said.

He said on Thursday, they got information again at the office that Mr Kanu wanted to file the process.

He said if the defendant wants to file a process in court, they have a standard procedure and protocol for Mr Kanu’s movement to guarantee his safety and the safety of others around.

He explained that a letter ought to be written by his former lawyers, who are now consultants, to the SSS management before he could be allowed.

“We only got the information from our officers who are detailed to him. So that creates a logistic problem,” he said.

Also responding, Mr Awomolo said the protocol for Mr Kanu’s movement is dictated by the court’s order.

“However, we will ask for a stand down for about an hour my lord to allow him file the process,” he said.

However, Mr Kanu disagreed with the SSS officer on his submission.

“What he just narrated was not correct,” he said.

“When I was downstairs looking for the process on Wednesday, they (the officers) said let us go and you will be brought back the next day,” he said.

Mr Kanu alleged that he had also told the SSS officers that the court officers could be allowed to bring the stamp for him to depose to the affidavit, but they refused.

Mr Awomolo then said that the issues, as difficult as they seemed, could be made easier by Mr Kanu’s legal consultants.

He said he was not aware that Mr Kanu planned to file a process.

“I was not aware of this. If they (consultants) can talk to me or the Legal Department at the DSS, they are their colleagues, the matter would have been resolved.

“They can speak to them (Legal Department). They (the consultants) equally have my phone number; they can call me,” Mr Awomolo said.

The judge, who stood down the matter, ordered the officers at the court registry and the commissioner for oaths to come into the court with the stamp to attend to Mr Kanu.

“The defendant will file here while we take other matters,” the judge said.

Justice Omotosho further made an order allowing the court workers to go to the SSS office with the court stamp whenever Mr Kanu is a deponent to a document.

Mr Kanu, who was expected to open his defence on Friday, is standing trial on alleged terrorism offences.

BACKGROUND

The Nigerian government has been prosecuting Mr Kanu on seven charges, mostly terrorism-related, since 2015.

The charges stemmed from his alleged violent secessionist campaigns for the independence of the Igbo-dominated South-eastern part of Nigeria as Biafra.

But the dual Nigerian and British citizen has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

The prosecution closed its case with five witnesses in June.

After the prosecution closed its case, Mr Kanu filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to lead credible evidence against him to warrant putting forward any defence.

However, in September, the judge dismissed the no-case submission, ruling that he had a case to answer and should enter his defence.

Since then, several proceedings have been scheduled for him to start his defence after he suddenly disengaged his lawyers and told the court that he would defend himself.

The case was adjourned several times in the past month to keep the window of defence open, while Mr Kanu continued to maintain that there is no valid charge against him to defend.

He argued that the charges against him “were brought under a repealed terrorism law.”

Following Kanu’s insistence that the charges were invalid, the judge, Mr Omotosho, on Wednesday, reminded him of the need to keep his “gun powder dry” for his defence.

Kanu said he would need to consult with his four legal consultants, whom he named as Nnaemeka Ejiofor, Aloy Ejimakor, Maxwell Okpara and Mandela Umegborogu, after which the case was adjourned to Friday.

As it stands, defence or not, judgment, according to Justice Omotosho, will be delivered on November 20.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

N150m Spiritual Intercession Demand: Power Minister Adelabu Petitions DSS Against Primate Ayodele

Published

8 hours ago

on

December 12, 2025

By

The Minister of Power, Mr. Bayo Adelabu, has accused Primate Elijah Ayodele, the founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos, of blackmail and attempting to extort N150 million from him for “spiritual intercession” to make him governor of Oyo state.

Adelabu, a former governorship candidate, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 Oyo governorship election.

In a petition dated October 13, 2025, signed by Bolaji Tunji, the minister’s special adviser on strategic communications and media relations, to the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adelabu accused Ayodele of making false prophecies intended to malign his reputation after he rebuffed all efforts from the cleric, who allegedly demanded a huge sum of money and expensive spiritual items.

In a series of text messages between Ayodele and Adelabu, seen by TheCable, the cleric asked the minister to bring 24 APC flags for prayers. The cleric also demanded 1,000 pieces of saxophones/trumpets, with the least expensive Nigerian fairly-used grade costing a total of N50 million and the imported grade-one from China at N130 million in total.

Ayodele asked Adelabu to bring the items by April 1. He later extended the grace till April 4.

“Sir, I don’t do this, but because of the love I have for you,” the primate wrote.

The cleric told the minister that he had sent him several letters while he was CBN deputy governor and other times to the minister in Ibadan, but there was no reply. He repeatedly made requests to call the minister, who told him he was on pilgrimage. Ayodele asked him to “recite almu nasira 200 times”.

The cleric told the minister that what he was doing was based on instruction given to him by God. Ayodele repeatedly told the minister that he would rule Oyo state.

”I have divine advice for you sir, which can help a lot sir, kindly pick my call,” a part of the text message read.

”Do vigil and the angel of God is coming to hear request by 1am…I don’t want you to lose the coming election. That is why I’m following the instructions.”

In response, the minister told the cleric that he could not afford the expensive items.

After the incident, Ayodele, while speaking in his church, said Adelabu had failed and would not become Oyo governor.

In some video clips seen by TheCable, Ayodele said Adelabu had made mistakes and his message to the minister was a “warning from God”.

The cleric dared the minister to arrest or sue him.

TheCable

Continue Reading

News

Bayelsa Deputy Gov Slumps, Dies at 60

Published

24 hours ago

on

December 11, 2025

By

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has died. He was 60 years.

The deputy governor reportedly collapsed in his office in Yenagoa on Thursday, December 11, 2025, around 1:30 p.m., and was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa.

He was admitted into the hospital’s emergency department and placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where efforts to revive him ultimately failed.

Ewhrudjakpo’s media aide, Doubara Atasi, confirmed the death, but declined to provide further details. Hospital sources stated that despite prompt medical attention, the deputy governor could not be revived.

Born on September 5, 1965, Ewhrudjakpo had served as Bayelsa State’s deputy governor since 2020.

Continue Reading

News

Awujale: Fusengbuwa Ruling House Rejects Kwam 1’s Application

Published

1 day ago

on

December 11, 2025

By

By Eric Elezuo

The application filed in by juju music maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal also known by many aliases including KWAM 1 and K1 de Ultimate to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House for eligibility consideration towards contesting the Awujale stool, has been declared null and void, and rejected.

In a letter, dated December 11, 2025, and signed by six leading members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, led by the Chairman, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, and titled, Re: Submission of Completed Fusengbuwa Ruling House Members Particulars and Linkage Form, the Ruling House while acknowledging receipt of Ayinde Marshal’s application, noted that there were obvious discrepancies that suggest the renowned singer is not qualified for consideration.

Beyond the fact that the House discovered that the application letter was pre-signed, and certified by a ‘purported family head’, other matters presented to ensure that the House rejected the application. They include:

The form was not signed by the authorized representative (family head) of your purported family unit head

Omoba Adetayo Abayomi Oduneye Eruobodo is not a registered member of the Jadiara Royal House, and therefore, has no locus standi to sign any linkage form in behalf of the family…and 

Our investigation has not revealed any proof of your membership of the Jadiara Royal House, and indeed that of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

Consequent upon the above, the House declared his application null and void, and threw it out.

“Consequently, the completed linkage lineage form is hereby declared null, void and of no consequence. For the avoidance of doubt, your claim to the membership of Fusengbuwa Ruling House is rejected and the completed form is of no consequence,” the letter concluded.

Recall that KWAM 1 had a few days ago, formally notified the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of his intention to be considered for the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland.

He had claimed that his lineage qualifies him to present himself for consideration, in line with established tradition.

However, the rejection as prompted in the Fusengbuwa Ruling House’s letter, may have signaled the end of KWAM 1’s quest to replace the Awujale of ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who passed away in July 2025.

Continue Reading

Trending