The protracted terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has reached a critical juncture at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the court having previously fixed November 20 for judgment. This date was initially announced by Justice James Omotosho following Kanu’s consistent decision not to open his defence within the six days allotted to him by the court.

Throughout the proceedings, Kanu, who has been in detention since his re-arrest in 2021, repeatedly waived his right to defend himself against the charges filed by the Federal Government. He maintained that there was no valid charge against him to warrant entering any defence and claimed he was deceived into pleading to a false charge. The court had made several attempts to compel his defence, including setting a final deadline of November 7, warning that failure to comply would lead to the closure of his case. Justice Omotosho had explicitly stated that Kanu, having been given ample opportunity to present his case, could not later claim denial of his constitutional right to a fair hearing.

However, in a significant development, Nnamdi Kanu has now complied with the Federal High Court’s directive to open his defence. Despite his previous resistance, he began filing his defence documents on a recent Friday inside the courtroom, in line with an order by Justice Omotosho. To facilitate this, the court’s registry was temporarily relocated to the courtroom, allowing Kanu to complete the filing process without further delay. Counsel for the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), confirmed the prosecution was prepared to receive and respond to the defence documents.

The trial has been marked by tension and public attention. A video emerged showing Kanu in a tense confrontation with Department of State Services (DSS) personnel in court, where he was heard accusing an officer of attempting to enforce a law he did not respect, stating, “You have no law, you have no law.” Following one such court session, Hon. Obi Aguocha, a member of the House of Representatives, described the proceedings as biased, suggesting a dual set of rules for different Nigerians.

Earlier, special counsel to Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, announced his arrival at the court amidst heavy security. Justice Omotosho also cautioned Kanu’s former lawyers—P. A. N. Ejiofor, Aloy Ejimakor, Dr. Maxwell Opara, and Prince Mandela Umegburu—who now act as his consultants, to conduct themselves within professional ethics, following complaints from the prosecution regarding media interviews and social media posts about the ongoing trial.

The judgment scheduled for November 20 marks a critical point in this high-profile case, which has drawn national and international attention.