Four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have joined the legal team representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as his trial resumes on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor in a post on his X handle on Monday morning revealed the addition of the four SANs — Prof. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Emeka Etiaba, Mela Audu Nunghe, and Dr. Joseph Akubo — increases the number of Senior Advocates on Kanu’s team to six, and brings the total number of lawyers defending him to 19. They join existing SANs Chief Kanu Agabi and Uchenna Njoku.
In March, the Federal Government had re-arraigned Kanu on an amended seven-count charge bordering on terrorism before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During his re-arraignment, Kanu issued an apology — delivered through his new lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation — to Justice Binta Nyako, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who appeared for the Federal Government, and his former legal team led by Aloy Ejimakor. Kanu said his previous attacks on them were made out of anger.
In a rare moment, the presiding judge, Justice Omotosho, also apologised to Kanu for the prolonged delay, acknowledging the ordeal he had faced. The judge noted that Kanu’s case had dragged on for over a decade without resolution and consequently ordered an accelerated trial.
The court fixed April 29, May 2, and May 6, 2025, for the hearings.
Kanu was initially re-arraigned before Justice Nyako on 15 amended counts after his controversial return to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021. On April 8, 2022, the trial court struck out eight of the 15 counts, leaving seven counts — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 15 — which the Court of Appeal quashed on October 13, 2025.
However, the Federal Government appealed the appellate court’s ruling at the Supreme Court and sought a stay of execution, which was granted. On December 15, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Federal Government’s appeal, ruling that Kanu must face trial at the Federal High Court on the remaining charges.
Before the charges were read to Kanu during the latest proceedings, Justice Omotosho ordered the renumbering of the charges: count eight was renumbered as count six, and count fifteen as count seven.
Kanu pleaded not guilty to all counts. According to the Federal Government, Kanu, in broadcasts aired between 2018 and 2021, issued threats while ordering sit-at-home compliance in the South-East, warning that violators should “write their wills.”
The government alleged that his broadcasts incited attacks on security personnel, leading to widespread shutdowns of banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, and petrol stations across the region.
The prosecution argued that the offences are punishable under Section 1(2)(h) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
It also alleged that Kanu directed members of IPOB “to manufacture bombs”.
The Federal Government also alleged that Kanu, between March and April 2015, “imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisiuzor in Ihiala LGA of Anambra, a radio transmitter known as Tram 50L, concealed in a container of used household items which you declared as used household items.”
The offence is said to contradict Section 47(2)(a) of the Criminal Code Act Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
