There was high drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, November 7, 2025, during the continued trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as proceedings took an unexpected turn following a fresh motion filed by the defendant.
According to reports from the courtroom, Kanu filed a motion challenging the legal foundation of his trial, demanding that the court identify the specific law under which he is being prosecuted. The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, initially appeared hesitant to entertain the motion but later accepted it after persistent insistence from Kanu.
Eyewitnesses said Kanu pressed the court to cite the law supporting the terrorism charges against him, but the court declined to provide an answer. Afterward, Justice Omotosho instructed Kanu to read the charges aloud, during which it reportedly became evident that the charges were anchored on a non-existent law — a revelation that caused visible tension in the courtroom.
Sources noted that the judge appeared visibly unsettled by the development and quickly adjourned the case, fixing November 20, 2025, for judgment.
Friday’s session followed a series of procedural delays and controversies, including earlier reports of the Department of State Services (DSS) restricting Kanu’s access to legal documents — a position the agency later reversed after public outcry.
The courtroom drama has reignited debate among legal experts and supporters over the legitimacy of the charges against the IPOB leader, who maintains that his prosecution is politically motivated and lacks any valid legal basis.
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