Four SANs Join Nnamdi Kanu’s Legal Team as Trial Resumes Tuesday

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. The new additions — Prof. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Emeka Etiaba, Mela Audu Nunghe, and Dr. Joseph Akubo — bring the number of SANs on Kanu’s defence team to six, joining Chief Kanu Agabi and Uchenna Njoku. In total, 19 lawyers are now involved in his defence.

Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, was re-arraigned in March on an amended seven-count charge bordering on terrorism before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. During his re-arraignment, Kanu, through his new lead counsel Chief Agabi, apologised to Justice Binta Nyako, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) who represents the Federal Government, and his former legal team led by Aloy Ejimakor. He explained that previous attacks on them had been made in anger.

Justice Omotosho, presiding over the case, also apologised to Kanu for the prolonged delay in his trial, acknowledging that the matter had dragged on for over a decade. The judge consequently ordered an accelerated hearing and fixed April 29, May 2, and May 6, 2025, for the trial dates.

Kanu’s legal troubles intensified after his controversial return to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021. Initially, he faced 15 amended charges before Justice Nyako. On April 8, 2022, the trial court struck out eight charges, leaving seven counts — which were later quashed by the Court of Appeal on October 13, 2025. However, the Federal Government successfully appealed at the Supreme Court, which ruled on December 15, 2023, that Kanu must face trial at the Federal High Court on the remaining charges.

Before 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.

The Federal Government accuses Kanu of making threatening broadcasts between 2018 and 2021, during which he allegedly ordered sit-at-home compliance in the South-East region and warned violators to “write their wills.” It claims these broadcasts incited attacks on security personnel and caused widespread shutdowns of banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, and petrol stations across the region. The prosecution further alleges that Kanu directed members of IPOB to manufacture bombs and that he imported a radio transmitter concealed in a container of used household goods into Nigeria between March and April 2015.

The government argues that these offences violate Section 1(2)(h) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, and Section 47(2)(a) of the Criminal Code Act Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.