Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Onyechi Ikpeazu, has weighed in on developments surrounding the Federal Excessive Courtroom’s conviction of the chief of the proscribed Indigenous Individuals of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for terrorism and for issuing “sit-at-home” orders that allegedly led to the closure of banks, faculties, and financial actions throughout the Southeast, significantly on Mondays.
Ikpeazu informed BusinessTimes in an interview that whatever the sentiments trailing Justice James Omotosho’s judgment, the one authorized possibility obtainable to any dissatisfied occasion “is to attraction.”
“Rightly or wrongly, a choose has a proper to be flawed; in the end, in case you are not glad, you go on attraction. That’s the system we run,” he mentioned, whereas commenting on developments across the disengagement of Senior Advocates—himself included—by Kanu.
BusinessTimes beforehand reported that Justice Omotosho delivered the conviction whereas studying his judgment in Kanu’s trial on alleged treasonable felony and terrorism fees introduced towards him by the Federal Authorities.
Through the trial, Kanu knowledgeable the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, of his determination to disengage his authorized crew led by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, and signaled his willingness to defend himself.
On the proceedings, Agabi knowledgeable the courtroom of Kanu’s determination, after which Kanu confirmed, and the crew withdrew from additional look within the case.
Kanu subsequently labored with consultants—a number of barristers who had been beforehand a part of his authorized crew—till the ultimate judgment by Justice Omotosho.
Reacting to the judgment, Barrister Maxwell Okpara, who was a part of Kanu’s former authorized crew and later served as a marketing consultant, had mentioned on Come up Information that “Nnamdi Kanu by no means sacked his legal professionals; quite, the legal professionals withdrew.”
Extra Insights
Sharing his perspective on the authorized developments, Ikpeazu SAN, one of many disengaged senior legal professionals, mentioned the matter was a critical case requiring detailed skilled consideration, including that it might be deceptive for anybody to misrepresent what transpired relating to the legal professionals’ disengagement.
- In keeping with him, whereas the continuing was pending and earlier than the senior legal professionals met with Kanu to arrange his defence, Kanu had already filed a movement difficult the courtroom’s jurisdiction, which he personally signed.
- He mentioned his shopper had additionally utilized for a subpoena to convey 23 individuals as witnesses—strikes the Senior Advocates “had no data of in anyway.”
- He defined that Kanu was confronted with this info after the prosecution introduced it to the legal professionals’ consideration, and Kanu admitted to submitting the motions himself.
“We additionally requested him whether or not he knew the implications of that. He mentioned sure, and that he could be able to defend himself,” Ikpeazu added.
- He emphasised that when the case was referred to as subsequently, Agabi introduced the event, and the courtroom requested Kanu to substantiate it.
- Kanu affirmed and said that he most popular to defend himself, he added.
- The senior lawyer expressed shock that some folks had been making an attempt to insinuate the opposite.
“And on our half, whatever the sentiments, to me, the fabric factor was that we had a case to do and we felt that we had finished sufficient to forged cheap doubt primarily based on the proof led by the prosecution.
“It was on that premise that we most popular our protection, however the shopper had a proper to take over his case and conduct his case on his personal, and that was ultimately what occurred,” he burdened.
- He added that the engagement or disengagement of counsel is a constitutional proper, which Kanu exercised, highlighting that any shopper has the appropriate to take over and conduct their case personally.
What You Ought to Know
Justice Omotosho had earlier dismissed Kanu’s no-case submission, ruling that prima facie proof had been sufficiently offered by the Division of State Providers (DSS), requiring “some clarification” from Kanu.
Nevertheless, Kanu refused to enter a defence and was ultimately foreclosed after a number of adjournments.
- The Federal Authorities accused Kanu of issuing threats by way of broadcasts throughout Nigeria, warning that anybody who violated the sit-at-home order within the Southeast would face penalties, allegedly inciting revolt towards the state.
- The prosecution additional claimed that, because of Kanu’s directives, banks, faculties, markets, malls, and petrol stations remained largely closed on Mondays within the Southeast.
Kanu denied these allegations within the authentic 2015 case, which later restarted earlier than Justice Omotosho in 2025.
In his judgment, Justice Omotosho held that since Kanu’s defence had been foreclosed, the courtroom would rely solely on the prosecution’s proof and a number of other affidavits earlier than it.
- He said that anybody concerned in acts of terrorism is liable, upon conviction, to life imprisonment.
- The choose described terrorism as actions or threats that create concern, particularly when harmless individuals are focused.
- He famous that in a number of broadcasts—together with an interview with Sahara TV—Kanu allegedly threatened hurt towards the Federal Authorities and Nigerians, together with members of his “personal folks.”
He quoted Kanu describing Nigeria as a “zoo” and referring to the Southeast as “Biafra,” including that Kanu was absolutely conscious of the implications of his statements.
- The courtroom held that each Nigerian citizen is entitled to non-public liberty and freedom of motion and that the folks of the Southeast can’t be compelled to sit down at residence by Kanu, who holds no constitutional authority.
- Justice Omotosho in the end sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment following his conviction for terrorism.
- Kanu was additionally sentenced to twenty years for Depend 2.
The courtroom dominated that he should be saved in a “protecting custody facility” in any a part of Nigeria and should not entry any digital system besides underneath the supervision of the Workplace of the National Security Adviser.
Kanu is predicted to strategy the Courtroom of Appeal to problem the trial courtroom’s judgment.
