Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled judgment for November 20 in the terrorism trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The judge fixed the date on Friday after ruling that Kanu had failed to open his defence within the six days allotted by the court. Justice Omotosho held that by failing to utilise the opportunity to defend himself, Kanu could not claim a violation of his constitutional right to a fair hearing.
Earlier, the court had directed Kanu to open his defence by November 5 or be deemed to have waived his right to do so. The directive came after the prosecution closed its case and the court dismissed Kanu’s no-case submission.
During proceedings, Kanu—who is representing himself—told the court that he had not filed his final written address as previously ordered but had instead submitted a motion and a supporting affidavit. He insisted that he would not open any defence, arguing that there was no valid charge known to Nigerian law pending against him.
Kanu further demanded his immediate release, maintaining that his continued detention and trial lacked a lawful basis.
However, prosecuting counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) challenged the competence of Kanu’s newly filed documents, describing them as improperly filed and aimed at delaying the proceedings. Awomolo urged the court to treat the documents as Kanu’s final written address, direct all parties to adopt their final submissions, and adjourn for judgment.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho held that Kanu’s filings were in order and would be considered during judgment. He also noted that, since Kanu is not a lawyer, the court would afford him the opportunity to consult with legal counsel for necessary guidance.
