The Federal High Court in Abuja has set November 20 as the date for judgment in the ongoing terrorism case against Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The announcement was made on Friday by Justice James Omotosho, following the expiration of the six days allocated for Kanu to present his defence, a window the defendant ultimately chose not to use.
“Having failed to utilise the opportunity granted to him to conduct his defence, the defendant cannot claim to have been denied his rights under the law,” Justice Omotosho ruled, noting that the court had afforded Kanu ample time to respond to the charges.
The prosecution had previously closed its case after presenting its witnesses and evidence, leading the court to fix six days for Kanu’s defence. However, Kanu, who has been in detention since his re-arrest in 2021, opted to waive his right to call witnesses or testify, effectively setting the stage for judgment.
The case, which has drawn widespread national and international attention, centres on allegations of terrorism, incitement, and membership of an unlawful organisation. Kanu and his legal team have consistently denied the charges, insisting that his activism for Biafra’s self-determination was peaceful and constitutionally protected.
Kanu was initially arrested in 2015 but fled the country after being granted bail in 2017. He was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria to face prosecution — a development that sparked diplomatic debates and renewed calls for his release from human rights groups and the Igbo diaspora.
With the matter now reserved for judgment, Justice Omotosho is expected to deliver a ruling that could have far-reaching political, legal, and security implications, especially in Nigeria’s southeast region, where Kanu maintains significant influence.
Okay News reports that the November 20 verdict will mark a pivotal moment in one of Nigeria’s most high-profile cases, as the court decides whether Kanu’s prolonged detention and the government’s terrorism allegations hold under judicial scrutiny.
