The Federal High Court in Abuja has given Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a final opportunity to present his defence in his ongoing terrorism trial or risk forfeiting it.
Presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, issued the warning on Wednesday while ruling on a request by the prosecution to close the defendant’s case.
"Today was set aside for the defendant to open his defence or be considered to have closed it. However, in the interest of justice, I will allow one more chance. If he fails to act, I will deem the defence closed. I know he is not a lawyer but an economist, so I will grant this final opportunity," he said.
The judge adjourned the matter until November 7, stressing that the court would no longer entertain any further delays.
The ruling came after an application by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, counsel for the prosecution, who urged the court to foreclose Kanu’s defence.
Awomolo noted that the defendant had already used five of the six days allotted to him and had repeatedly declined to proceed with his case.
He reminded the court that Kanu had been earlier directed to enter his defence or lose the right to do so, but at Wednesday’s sitting, the IPOB leader again insisted there were no valid charges against him.
The prosecution therefore asked the court to treat his refusal as a waiver and proceed to judgment.
Justice Omotosho also cautioned Kanu’s former lawyers, P. A. N Ejiofor, Aloy Ejimakor, Dr Maxwell Opara, and Prince Mandela Umegburu, now acting as his "consultants," to refrain from making public comments on the ongoing case.
The warning followed a complaint by Awomolo that the former defence team had been granting media interviews about the proceedings.
Kanu confirmed in court that the four attended the session only in an advisory capacity.
The IPOB leader has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2021 following his controversial rendition from Kenya.
READ ALSO: Court Gives Nnamdi Kanu November 5 Deadline to Defend Terrorism Charges
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