Nnamdi Kanu's legal team has condemned his ongoing terrorism trial as a deliberate strategy by the federal government to secure a conviction without due process, following his decision to forgo defence after exhausting allocated days before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The IPOB leader, detained since his 2021 rendition from Kenya, abandoned plans to call witnesses upon reviewing the case file, insisting no valid charges exist against him under Nigerian law, with judgment now set for a pending date amid health concerns stalling proceedings.
Lawyers argue the prosecution's evidence fails to establish a prima facie case, citing uninvestigated DSS statements and Supreme Court rulings quashing initial charges, positioning the trial as unlawful persecution rather than justice. Kanu demanded immediate release or bail, rejecting further participation in what he calls a fraudulent process, while the court adjourned for final addresses after failed medical reports on his condition.
The controversy underscores separatist tensions, with Kanu maintaining no need for defence absent legitimate charges, as federal prosecutors push seven counts including incitement against security personnel.