Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), insisting that he must open his defence in his ongoing terrorism trial.
The matter was adjourned to October 8, 2025, when Kanu is expected to begin his defence.
The court ruled that the prosecution had already established a prima facie case linking Kanu to terrorism charges, stressing that the evidence and exhibits tendered raised serious allegations that cannot be brushed aside.
According to the judge, Kanu’s claims of extraordinary rendition and alleged rights violations also require him to personally lead evidence in his own defence, in line with the principles of fair hearing.
By striking out the no-case submission, Justice Omotosho made it clear that the IPOB leader must now respond directly to the charges against him.
LagosExplorer reports: A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ruled that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, must face trial on terrorism-related charges, rejecting his no-case submission.
Who is Nnamdi Kanu?
Nnamdi Kanu, 57, is a British-Nigerian political activist and founder of IPOB, a separatist movement advocating for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria. He first gained prominence through Radio Biafra, an online station used to broadcast pro-Biafra messages and criticisms of the Nigerian government.
Born in Abia State, Kanu studied political economics at London Metropolitan University before emerging as one of the most controversial figures in Nigeria’s political space.
Background of the IPOB Movement
The Indigenous People of Biafra, formed in 2012, is the latest in a long line of movements seeking the restoration of Biafra—a region that attempted to secede from Nigeria in 1967.
Kanu was first arrested in Lagos in 2015 on treason charges but was released on bail in 2017 under strict conditions. He later fled Nigeria after a military raid on his home in Abia State. In 2021, he was rearrested under controversial circumstances abroad and returned to Nigeria to face trial.