Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has once again pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government.
During his re-arraignment before a new trial judge, James Omotosho, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, Kanu denied all seven charges, which include accusations of threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence and operating an illegal radio station to broadcast messages in support of Biafra.
The charges of treasonable felony and terrorism stem from Kanu’s separatist activities, which advocate for the secession of Nigeria’s five Igbo-dominated South-east states and parts of neighboring regions to form the sovereign nation of Biafra. The Biafra agitation, which began in the 1960s, led to the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. Kanu reignited this movement in 2015, asserting the right of his people to self-determination.
Kanu was arrested and charged by the Nigerian government in 2015 due to his growing separatist campaigns, particularly through the then-Radio Biafra. On Friday, he appeared in his usual white designer attire as the court resumed hearing his case under the new judge.
The re-arraignment took place under tight security, with operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) surrounding the court premises. After Kanu’s plea, the federal government’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), confirmed his readiness to proceed with the prosecution in line with the Supreme Court’s directive for a fresh trial. Awomolo requested an adjournment to allow him time to assemble his witnesses and applied for accelerated hearing, which the court granted.
With no objections from Kanu’s defense team, led by Kanu Agabi, also a SAN and former Minister of Justice, the judge set the trial dates for 29 April, 2 May, and 6 May.
