The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, will on Monday open his defence in the terrorism charges filed against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
This follows the adjournment of the trial by Justice James Omotosho of the court on Friday.
Justice Omotosho granted the adjournment after Kanu informed the court that his former legal team, led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, had yet to release his case file to him.
The Federal Government’s lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, reminded the court that the matter was fixed for Kanu to begin his defence as earlier directed.
Kanu, who appeared in court with a bundle of documents, announced his appearance personally and told the judge that his dismissed legal team had refused to hand over his case file.
He pleaded for an adjournment to allow him to retrieve and study the file to prepare adequately for his defence.
Kanu also informed the court of his intention to call 23 witnesses, both local and foreign, and requested an order directing the Department of State Services to allow his foreign witnesses access to him.
The file was “strange and difficult to believe,” he would still grant a short adjournment in the interest of justice.
The judge cautioned against unnecessary delays, stressing that several other cases had been affected by the protracted proceedings.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to Monday, October 27, for Kanu to open his defence.
In a related development, the special counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, reportedly collapsed while in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
Following the incident, Ejimakor was said to have been taken to the Kuje Medical Centre, where he is currently receiving medical attention.
One of Kanu’s lawyers, Maxwell Opara, confirmed the development in an interview on Saturday.
While speaking further Opara said: “Yes, I went to see him, and he was admitted at Kuje medical centre where they are treating him, and I left about some few hours ago.
“The thing happened before I came, and we arrived there around 12, and I started hearing the news.
“As one of his lawyers and colleagues, I insisted on seeing him, and they took me to see him. I saw Sowore and others before they took me to go and see him.”
The incident occurred barely 24 hours after Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id of the Kuje Magistrate Court declined to sign the bail bond for Ejimakor’s release.
Ejimakor was arrested on Monday alongside 12 others, including Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, during a protest in Abuja calling for the IPOB leader’s freedom.
