Nnamdi Kanu, FG engage new lawyers as IPOB leader’s trial resumes

The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has resumed before the Abuja federal high court.

At the resumed court session on Monday, new lawyers announced appearances for parties in the suit.

Mike Ozekhome, who was formerly the senior counsel representing Kanu, has been replaced by Emeka Ejiofor, while the prosecuting team is being led by Adegboyega Awomolo who replaced David Kaswe, a lawyer with the federal ministry of justice.

Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his arrest in 2020, is present in court.

After his extradition in June 2020, the federal government filed terrorism charges against him.

In April 2022, Binta Nyako, a federal high court judge in Abuja, struck out eight of the 15 counts in the charge.

The remaining seven counts were also quashed by the court of appeal on October 13, 2022, with the judge ordering Kanu’s release.

However, on October 28, 2022, the court of appeal granted a stay of execution on its verdict discharging Kanu, after the federal government filed an appeal at the supreme court.

However, on December 15, 2023, a five-member panel of the apex court reversed the verdict of the appeal court and ordered Kanu to resume his trial before the federal high court.