Why I won’t defend FG’s charge against me – Nnamdi Kanu

………….as court shifts case to Nov 4

by Paul Ebi

The ongoing trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, took a new twist on Monday, as he made a volte-face on his earlier decision to call witnesses to defend the seven-count terrorism-related charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

At the resumed proceedings on the case, Kanu, who elected to defend himself after he disengaged his team of lawyers, adduced reasons before the Federal High Court in Abuja, why he would not open his defence to the charge.

Addressing the court from the dock, the embattled IPOB leader maintained that, having gone through the case file, he discovered that there is no valid charge to warrant his defence.

He contended that since he had been subjected to an unlawful trial based on an invalid charge, there would be no need for him to offer any explanations or defend himself through the evidence of witnesses.

Consequently, he shelved his initial request for the court to issue summons to compel certain persons to appear as his witnesses in the case.

Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, had in a motion he personally signed and filed before the court, named several individuals that included serving Governors, Ministers, ex-Governors and Security Chiefs, among the 23 persons he intends to produce as his witnesses.

Describing them as vital and compellable witnesses in his case, Kanu, urged the court to grant him a 90-day period to enable him to open and conclude his defence.

He argued that expanding the initial six-day period the court gave him to conclude his defence has become necessary in view of the number and status of the witnesses he intends to produce to give evidence in the case.

Among the proposed witnesses in the principal list he submitted before the court, included the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike; the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; as well as a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd).

Others are the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd); immediate past Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; as well as the former Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi.

In the motion dated October 21 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, Kanu equally hinted that he would call other persons whose names were not on the list he submitted.

However, he ditched the plan on Monday, a development that led the court to adjourn the matter till November 5, 5 and 6 for the adoption of final written addresses.

Meanwhile, before the case was adjourned, trial Justice James Omotosho implored the IPOB leader to consult experts in criminal law to explain the consequences of his decision.

It will be recalled that the court had earlier rejected a no-case-submission that Kanu filed to be discharged and acquitted.

The court dismissed his contention that the totality of evidence the prosecution tendered in the matter failed to establish a prima facie case against him.

Kanu argued that the five witnesses the federal government brought to testify before the court failed to prove that he committed any offence that is known to law.