Kanu Agabi, senior lawyer leading Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team,
has applied to withdraw legal representation for the leader of the proscribed
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
At the court session on Thursday, Agabi said the defendant
has chosen to defend himself in the case.
All the senior advocates of Nigeria (SAN) on the defence
team have also withdrawn from the trial, a development Kanu himself confirmed
in court.
Kanu told the court that he would be representing himself
for now, but that he may decide to get a lawyer later. When the judge asked if
he should be assigned a lawyer, he declined the offer.
Defending himself orally, Kanu argued that the court lacks
the jurisdiction to try him.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 but fled the country after
being granted bail in 2017. He was later re-arrested in 2021 and has since
remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The federal government has maintained its charges against
Kanu, accusing the separatist of inciting violence through IPOB’s activities
and calling for the secession of the south-east region from Nigeria.
In a new application filed before the federal high court in
Abuja on Tuesday, Kanu said he is prepared to proceed with his defence in the
ongoing trial, which borders on treasonable felony and terrorism charges.
In the filing, Kanu informed the court that he intends to
call two categories of witnesses — those described as “ordinary but material
witnesses” and “vital and compellable” witnesses, who he said would be summoned
under section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.
Among those listed as “vital and compellable” witnesses are
Theophilus Danjuma, former minister of defence; Tukur Buratai, former chief of
army staff; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor; Hope Uzodimma, governor
of Imo state; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
Others named include Okezie Ikpeazu, former governor of Abia
state; Dave Umahi, minister of works; Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general
of the federation; Ahmed Rufai, immediate past director-general of the National
Intelligence Agency (NIA); Yusuf Bichi, former director-general of the DSS; and
Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, the current DSS DG.
The IPOB leader also asked the court to grant him 90 days to
conclude his defence, citing the number of witnesses and the nature of evidence
he intends to present.
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