The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has finally complied with the directive of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to file his defence against the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu, who had for months resisted opening his defence, was seen on Thursday filing his defence documents inside the courtroom as ordered by Justice James Omotosho.
The development marked a significant turning point in the long-running legal battle between the separatist leader and the Federal Government.
To ease the process, Justice Omotosho ordered that the court’s registry be temporarily relocated to the courtroom.
This decision followed a series of complaints by Kanu regarding access to the registry from the custody of the Department of State Services, where he has been held since his re-arrest in 2021.
Counsel representing the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), informed the court that he was ready to receive the defence processes directly from Kanu and would respond accordingly in line with the court’s directive.
He assured that the prosecution would continue to cooperate with the court to ensure a smooth and fair trial.
As of the time of filing this report, the process of submitting the defence documents was still ongoing within the courtroom.
In view of this, Justice Omotosho stood down proceedings for one hour to allow Kanu and his legal team to complete the filing exercise without further delays.
Before Thursday’s session, Kanu had consistently declined to open his defence, arguing that the prosecution must first identify the specific provisions of the terrorism law he was accused of violating.
His insistence had stalled the trial for weeks, prompting the judge to intervene and give a final directive.
With the latest compliance, the case appears set to progress to the substantive hearing stage, where Kanu will formally present his defence against the terrorism allegations.
The outcome of this stage is expected to determine the next direction of the high-profile case that has attracted both national and international attention.
