KANU DECLINES TO ENTER DEFENCE, INSISTS NO CASE AGAINST HIM.

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has refused to open his defence in his ongoing trial for alleged terrorism offences, insisting that there is no valid case against him.

Kanu had earlier indicated plans to call witnesses and even applied for a witness summons, requesting additional time to review his case file. However, at the resumed hearing, he informed the court that after studying the file, he found no legitimate charge warranting a defence.

He told the court that he believes the entire trial process is unlawful, hence there is no need to proceed with any defence.

Justice James Omotosho, presiding over the case, directed Kanu to file a written response detailing his stance and serve it on the prosecution. The judge also advised him to consult criminal law experts on the possible legal consequences of his decision.

The case was subsequently adjourned until November 4th, 5th, and 6th for the adoption of final written addresses, depending on whether the court agrees that the evidence and charges so far have failed to establish a case against the defendant — or for Kanu to reconsider and enter his defence.

The Global Defence Consortium representing IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has accused the Federal High Court in Abuja and Justice James Omotosho of bias and denial of fair hearing following alleged irregularities during Friday’s court session.

According to a statement by Barrister Onyedikachi Ifedi, Kanu informed the court that his legal team was dismissed only a day earlier and that he could not access his legal files due to DSS restrictions. His request for more time to review the files, the defence argued, was a constitutional right under Section 36(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, not a delay tactic.

Kanu also sought to extend his legal and medical consultations from three to five days per week—a request the court granted, though the judge claimed Kanu had wasted earlier opportunities. The defence disputed this, saying it was unfair to force a defendant in a capital case to proceed after only “three hours” of consultation.

The statement further alleged that the DSS continues to bug Kanu’s conversations with his lawyers, violating constitutional provisions and international legal standards. It added that Justice Omotosho’s actions—such as vacating the courtroom during consultations and adjourning when Kanu requested court records—proved a breach of fair hearing and contempt for open justice.

The defence also noted that its applications to bring witnesses from the U.S., Kenya, the U.K., and Ethiopia remain unaddressed, describing it as a deliberate attempt to frustrate the defence.

“These are the facts from today’s proceedings. Don’t let them feed you lies,” the defence concluded.

Nnamdi Kanu Dismisses Legal Team, Defends Himself in Terrorism Trial.

Lead counsel for detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, Kanu Agabi (SAN), has withdrawn from representing him, stating that Kanu had taken back control of his case.

All the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) on the defence team also withdrew from the suit — a move Kanu confirmed in court. The IPOB leader told Justice James Omotosho that he would represent himself “for now,” declining the judge’s offer to assign him a lawyer.

Defending himself, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him. Outside the courtroom, Agabi told reporters, “A number of voices have been defending Nnamdi, and he has decided to conduct his defence by himself. He has the right to do so, we respect that decision and we wish him well going forward.”

Kanu appeared before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday to open his defence in the terrorism charges filed by the Federal Government. When the case was called, Agabi announced that he and other SANs — Onyechi Ikpeazu, Joseph Akubo, Paul Erokoro, Emeka Etiaba, and one unnamed — were withdrawing from the matter.

Following Kanu’s confirmation of his lawyers’ exit, Justice Omotosho ordered the remaining members of the defence team in court, except the SANs, to vacate the courtroom. He then directed Kanu to proceed with his defence.

Kanu began by contesting the court’s jurisdiction but was overruled. Ikpeazu later informed the court that their withdrawal took effect Thursday morning and requested time for Kanu to “gather his thoughts.” The prosecution did not object, prompting Justice Omotosho to adjourn the case to Friday, October 24, for Kanu to open his defence.

In a motion he personally filed, Kanu said he was ready to begin “pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on October 16, 2025.” He told the court he planned to call 23 witnesses — “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable” ones to be summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.

Nnamdi Kanu Opens Defence, Lists 23 Witnesses Including Wike, Sanwo-Olu and Ex-Military Chiefs.

Detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has agreed to open his defence, marking a major turn in his long-running trial.

This comes just hours after protests in parts of Abuja led by Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, calling for Kanu’s release.

Kanu had earlier filed a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction, but in a fresh application on Tuesday, October 21, he informed Justice James Omotosho that he was ready to defend himself, citing a previous court order directing him to begin on October 24, 2025.

He revealed plans to call 23 witnesses divided into two groups—“ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable witnesses”—to testify under Section 232 of the Evidence Act.

He also requested 90 days to conclude his defence, indicating he may now be representing himself instead of his legal team led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).

Among those he intends to summon as witnesses are former Defence Minister Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), ex-Army Chief Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Works Minister Dave Umahi, former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN), and ex-NIA DG Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Kanu said he would personally testify to “deny the allegations” and explain the political context of his actions, assuring the court that he would not waste its time and that “justice must be seen to be done.”

Meanwhile, on the same day, a magistrate court in Abuja ordered the remand of Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and 12 others who joined the protests demanding his release. 

They face charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and public disturbance, and will appear in court again on October 24.

Forgery Allegation Deepens PDP Crisis Ahead Of November Convention.

The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a fresh twist after the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector General of Police over an alleged forgery of his signature.

In petitions dated October 15 and submitted on October 16, Anyanwu denied signing the August 29 letter sent to INEC concerning the party’s planned November 15–16 National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In his letter titled “RE: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Year 2025 Elective National Convention: Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature”, Anyanwu insisted that the correspondence purportedly bearing his signature was neither signed nor authorised by him.

He urged the DSS and the police to immediately investigate what he described as a case of forgery capable of undermining the party’s integrity ahead of its convention.

The controversy comes amid a pending suit filed by aggrieved party chieftains seeking to halt the exercise. In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/25, PDP chairmen from Imo and Abia states, Austin Nwachukwu and Amah Abraham Nnanna, alongside the South-South Zonal Secretary, Turnah Alabah George, accused the Damagum-led National Working Committee of breaching the party’s constitution and internal election rules.

Defendants in the case include INEC, the PDP, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, and other senior officials.

At Tuesday’s sitting, the court adjourned proceedings to October 20, after a dispute erupted over who was authorised to represent the PDP in court.

Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) and Chris Uche (SAN) both claimed the mandate, prompting Justice James Omotosho to order them to present proof of authorisation. He directed all parties to exchange documents by October 17.

Nnamdi Kanu’s ailment not life-threatening, he’s fit to stand trial – NMA Panel.

The team empanelled by the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has said that the ailment complained about by detained self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, is not life-threatening.

The medical team was ordered by Justice James Omotosho, midway into Kanu’s terrorism trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja, to ascertain Kanu’s actual health status following conflicting claims on the issue by medical experts engaged by the prosecution and the defence.

In the panel’s report, submitted to the court on October 13 by the prosecution team led by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), part of which was read in open court during Thursday’s proceedings, it was stated that Kanu’s ailment is not life-threatening.

The team concluded that Kanu is fit to stand trial.

Based on the information contained in the report and in the absence of any objection from lawyers to the parties, Justice Omotosho said the court was convinced that Kanu could proceed with the trial.

Justice Omotosho subsequently granted the defendant six consecutive days, beginning from October 23, to open and close his defence.

The judge granted an oral application by defence lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), that Kanu’s legal team be granted a private consultation opportunity with the defendant outside the premises of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Agabi said the defendant’s legal team was afraid that its consultation with him (Kanu) could be tapped or recorded by the DSS.

Court fixes October 31 for jurisdiction ruling on Dagogo’s suit against Tinubu.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 31, 2025, to deliver its ruling on the issue of jurisdiction in a suit filed by former House of Representatives member Farah Dagogo, challenging President Bola Tinubu’s constitutional authority to suspend democratically elected officials during the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.

The suit, No. FHC/PH/CS/50/2025, lists as defendants the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd.), who served as the Rivers State Administrator during the emergency rule period.

At Friday’s hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Babafemi Adegbite, adopted his written arguments supporting the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, after taking submissions from both parties, reserved his ruling and adjourned the matter until October 31.

Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, Adegbite reiterated his client’s stance that President Tinubu exceeded his constitutional powers by suspending elected officials in both the executive and legislative arms of the Rivers State Government.

He said, “Even though they have now been reinstated, the action remains unconstitutional. We need a clear judicial pronouncement to prevent future occurrences.”

Adegbite maintained that the reinstatement of the affected officials does not make the case academic, noting that the core issue revolves around constitutional integrity and the scope of presidential power.

He further distinguished Dagogo’s suit from previous emergency rule cases that were struck out for lack of jurisdiction, insisting that the facts and legal issues in this case are different.

Ex-FCTA Director Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for ₦318m Fraud.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mr. Garuba Duku, a retired Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to 24 years in prison for diverting ₦318 million in public funds.

The conviction was announced in a statement by the Director of Public Enlightenment and Education at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Demola Bakare, on Thursday.

According to the ICPC, Duku was arraigned on a six-count charge of corruption and money laundering in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022. Justice James Omotosho, who presided over the case, found him guilty on all counts after the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Investigations revealed that between 2012 and 2013, Duku fraudulently diverted ₦318,250,000 belonging to AMMC into his personal Fidelity Bank account. The court heard that the stolen funds were received in several tranches — ₦56.25 million, ₦71 million, ₦53 million, ₦54 million, ₦46 million, and ₦36.3 million and subsequently laundered through Bureau de Change operators.

The ICPC stated that Duku’s actions violated public financial regulations and constituted a gross abuse of office. During trial, the defendant claimed he transferred the funds to his superiors, but the court dismissed the defence as unsubstantiated.

In his judgment, Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was “credible, consistent, and sufficient to establish the offences charged.” He sentenced Duku to four years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts, to run concurrently, or an option of fine amounting to about ₦1.6 billion — five times the total amount involved.

Reacting to the verdict, ICPC spokesperson Bakare hailed the judgment as a significant victory in the agency’s ongoing war against corruption and financial misconduct in the public sector.

Lere Olayinka Slams Atiku Abubakar, Calls Him a “Hypocrite” Over Support for Nnamdi Kanu Protest

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for supporting protests calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

In a post shared via X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Olayinka accused Atiku of double standards, describing him as a hypocrite who failed to publicly condemn the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel, a Sokoto student lynched in 2022 over alleged blasphemy.

He wrote:

“This same Atiku that failed to speak against the murder of Deborah in Sokoto then ooo.
Hypocrite @atiku did a tweet condemning Deborah’s murder but quickly deleted it.”


Olayinka’s remarks come amid renewed calls for Kanu’s release. The IPOB leader, who has been in DSS detention since 2021 following his arrest and extradition from Kenya, continues to face terrorism-related charges before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kanu’s lawyers have repeatedly raised concerns about his deteriorating health, while political figures like Atiku have recently voiced support for his unconditional release — a move Olayinka now criticizes as politically motivated.

Court Rules on Suit Challenging Suspension of Senator Natasha by Akpabio.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed against Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the legality of the six-month suspension imposed on Kogi Central Senator Natasha Uduaghan-Apoti over alleged misconduct.

The suit, filed by Ovavu Illiyasu and nine others, was thrown out on Friday on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi the legal authority to bring the matter before the court.

Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/654/2025, the suit sought to void Natasha Uduaghan-Apoti’s suspension, arguing that their Senatorial District would be shortchanged in the Senate and effectively lose representation during the suspension period.

In his ruling, Justice Omotosho held that the 10 plaintiffs had no legal standing to institute the action and dismissed the suit for lack of merit.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a “final warning” to the Nigerian judiciary over the trial of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, demanding that all charges be dismissed. IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful said Justice James Omotosho’s October 10 ruling will define his legacy, stressing that the case is built on repealed laws, inadmissible evidence, and lacks witnesses. The group called on the international community to monitor the case closely, warning that failure to deliver justice would expose judicial complicity.

#IPOB #NnamdiKanu #NigerianJudiciary

Abuja Court Jails Man Five Years for Currency Counterfeiting

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, June 3, 2025 convicted and sentenced one Philimon Ibrahim Gora to five years imprisonment for currency counterfeiting without option of fine.

He was initially arraigned on a seven- count charge but subsequently amended to one-count charge bordering on unlawful possession of counterfeit currency.

The count reads; “That you Philemon Ibrahim Gora on or about the 7th July 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court had in your possession without lawful authority 21 pieces of counterfeit One Hundred US Dollar bills series 2009A with serial numbers LB4550078L ($100) denomination knowing them to be counterfeit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5(1) (b) and punishable under Section 5(2) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision) Act Cap C35, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

When the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty, prompting the matter to go into full trial. Prosecution counsel, A.O Muhammad called three witnesses that testified against the defendant.

Justice Omotosho thereafter found Gora guilty and sentenced him to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Gora`s journey to the Correctional Center started in 2021 when he was arrested with 26 pieces of One Hundred US Dollar Bills ($100) with 21 out of the 26 dollar bills bearing the same serial No; LB45440078L. He was charged to court and jailed.

BREAKING: Court Strikes Out DSS Video and Written Statements in Nnamdi Kanu Trial 

In a significant development, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that video recordings and written statements obtained by the Department of State Services (DSS) from Nnamdi Kanu in 2015 are inadmissible as evidence. 

Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on May 29, 2025, following a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements. The court found that the absence of Kanu’s legal counsel during the DSS interrogations violated Section 15 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which mandates that a suspect’s statement must be obtained in the presence of their lawyer or a legal representative.  

The judge emphasized that, despite the prosecution’s argument that the interviews appeared cordial, the legal requirement for counsel presence is paramount. Consequently, the court expunged the video recordings and written statements from the record. 

This ruling marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing trial of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, potentially impacting the prosecution’s case moving forward. 

#NnamdiKanu #IPOB #FederalHighCourt #DSS #HumanRights

Nnamdi Kanu Alleges DSS Coerced Confessional Statements in 2015

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has testified that operatives of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) coerced him into making confessional statements following his 2015 arrest.

During a trial-within-a-trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 28, 2025, Kanu claimed that upon his arrest in Lagos, he was chained, blindfolded, and transported to Abuja without knowledge of his destination. He alleged that he was held in solitary confinement without light and denied access to legal counsel. Kanu further stated that a DSS officer, identified as Mr. Brown, threatened to withhold his daily hour of fresh air—recommended due to health concerns—unless he cooperated during interrogations.  

The prosecution presented video recordings and written statements purportedly made by Kanu during his detention. However, Kanu’s defense team objected to their admissibility, arguing that they were obtained under duress and without legal representation.  

The DSS maintains that Kanu’s statements were made voluntarily, denying any misconduct. Justice James Omotosho has ordered a trial-within-a-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements.

#NnamdiKanu #IPOB #DSS