Dare Babalola
The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to deliver judgment in the alleged terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on live broadcast today (Thursday).
Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after Kanu’s defense was foreclosed following his insistence that he would not enter his defense under a repealed law.
The court registrar confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday morning.
Cameramen of different television stations, including NTA, Channels TV, AIT, and TVC, were among the workers of broadcast stations in the courtroom with their gadgets for the live transmission.
NAN reports that Justice Omotosho had, on November 7, fixed today for the judgment.
Justice Omotosho fixed the date after Kanu’s defence was foreclosed following his insistence that he would not enter his defence under a repealed law.
Justice Omotosho held that Kanu, having exhausted the six days allocated to him by the court to conduct his defence, had waived his right to do so.
The judge said he would have extended the days allocated to Kanu to conduct his defence if he had opted to open it.
He said Kanu, having failed to utilise the opportunity given to him to conduct his defence, could not claim to have been denied the constitutionally guaranteed right to a fair hearing.
Kanu, who was first arrested in 2015 and charged with treasonable felony and terrorism, fled the country in 2017 while out on bail. He was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 and brought back to Nigeria, where he faces 15 counts of terrorism and incitement to violence.
Kanu’s defense team has repeatedly challenged the trial’s legitimacy, citing alleged procedural errors, violations of international extradition law, and jurisdictional issues.
