Kanu Agabi, senior lawyer leading Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team, has applied to withdraw legal representation for the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
At the court session on Thursday, Agabi said the defendant has chosen to defend himself in the case.
All the senior advocates of Nigeria (SAN) on the defence team have also withdrawn from the trial, a development Kanu himself confirmed in court.
Kanu told the court that he would be representing himself for now, but that he may decide to get a lawyer later. When the judge asked if he should be assigned a lawyer, he declined the offer.
Defending himself orally, Kanu argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to try him.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 but fled the country after being granted bail in 2017. He was later re-arrested in 2021 and has since remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The federal government has maintained its charges against Kanu, accusing the separatist of inciting violence through IPOB’s activities and calling for the secession of the south-east region from Nigeria.
In a new application filed before the federal high court in Abuja on Tuesday, Kanu said he is prepared to proceed with his defence in the ongoing trial, which borders on treasonable felony and terrorism charges.
In the filing, Kanu informed the court that he intends to call two categories of witnesses — those described as “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable” witnesses, who he said would be summoned under section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.
Among those listed as “vital and compellable” witnesses are Theophilus Danjuma, former minister of defence; Tukur Buratai, former chief of army staff; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor; Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
Others named include Okezie Ikpeazu, former governor of Abia state; Dave Umahi, minister of works; Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation; Ahmed Rufai, immediate past director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Yusuf Bichi, former director-general of the DSS; and Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, the current DSS DG.
The IPOB leader also asked the court to grant him 90 days to conclude his defence, citing the number of witnesses and the nature of evidence he intends to present.
