By Passman Akpos
Abuja — The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed November 20, 2025, for judgment in the seven-count terrorism charge filed by the Federal Government against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice James Omotosho announced the date on Friday, after Kanu failed to open his defence within the six days earlier allotted to him by the court.
The embattled IPOB leader, who is currently representing himself after dismissing his legal team, instead filed a motion challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court to try him.
The court had stood down the matter for an hour when Kanu initially indicated his intention to file his defence. However, when the proceedings resumed, he submitted a fresh application insisting that his prosecution was anchored on a non-existent law.
Kanu contended that the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, under which the Federal Government based its charges, had been repealed, rendering the case against him legally defective.
“The law under which I am being tried no longer exists; it has been repealed and replaced. Therefore, this court lacks jurisdiction to proceed,” Kanu told the court.
Following arguments, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to November 20 for judgment, which is expected to determine both the validity of the charge and the substantive case against Kanu.
The IPOB leader has been in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest and rendition to Nigeria in June 2021, after fleeing the country while on bail in 2017.
His case continues to attract intense public and political attention, especially across the South-East region, where IPOB enjoys significant support.
Observers and legal analysts say the November 20 judgment could mark a defining moment in one of Nigeria’s most controversial trials in recent history.
