Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says he will defend himself in court when his trial resumes on March 21, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He says it will ensure a fair hearing without the legal delays from attorneys that have plagued his case.
Kanu’s trial has been marred by controversy and delays since his arrest and extradition from Kenya in June 2021. He has been held in solitary confinement at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement by his brother, Emmanuel Kanu, “On Friday, 21 March 2025, when the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu resumes… he will be taking the bold step of defending himself in court.”
The case was reassigned to Omotosho after former trial judge Justice Binta Nyako recused herself from the case.
A Turning Point in the Case
Kanu’s decision to represent himself is seen as a turning point in the case. The IPOB leader has expressed distrust in the Nigerian judiciary, citing instances of bias and unfairness against him in the past.
The statement from his family criticized Nyako’s handling of the case, saying she “brazenly defied the Supreme Court of Nigeria” and was “hell-bent on convicting a person for exercising a right.“
The family also said they are with the Federal Government’s handling of the case, calling it prejudiced and unfair. “The handling of this case by the Federal Government has been marred by prejudice and unfairness from day one,” the statement said.
Kanu’s shift to self-defence underscores this distrust and places a burden on Justice James Omotosho, who will preside over the case, to uphold fair hearing and trial principles.
The statement warned that the global community is watching how the judiciary handles the trial. “The world is watching,” it said. “Any failure… will further erode confidence in a judiciary already criticized for its selective application of the law.“
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