Lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Kanu Agabi, has applied to withdraw from representing the detained IPOB leader, stating that the defendant had taken the case back from them.

All the Senior Advocates of Nigeria on the defence team have also withdrawn from the suit, a development Nnamdi Kanu himself confirmed in court.

Kanu told the court that he would be representing himself for now, though that might change later. When the judge asked if he should be assigned a lawyer, he declined the offer.

Defending himself orally, Kanu argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to try him

Speaking to reporters outside the court, Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), said the IPOB leader has the right to defend himself and that they wish him well.

“A number of voices have been defending Nnamdi, and he has decided to conduct his defence by himself,” Agabi said, adding that “He has the right to do so, we respect that decision and we wish him well going forward.”

The IPOB leader returned to the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday to open his defence in the suit instituted against him by the Federal Government on alleged terrorism. The case is presided over by Justice James Omotosho.

In a motion he personally filed on Tuesday, Kanu assured the court that he was prepared to begin his defence “pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on the 16th day of October 2015, directing the defendant to commence his defence on the 24th day of October 2025.”

Kanu informed the court of his plan to call a total of 23 witnesses, divided into two categories. The first category, he said, would be those he called “ordinary but material witnesses”.

He further informed the court that his second category of witnesses would be “vital and compellable” and shall be “summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.”

‘Compellable Witnesses’

In the notice Kanu personally signed, suggesting that he may have fired his team of lawyers led by Kanu Agabi, SAN, the IPOB leader told the court that, in view of the number of witnesses he intends to call, the court should consider granting a 90-day timeframe to enable him to conclude his defence.

He told the court that he would “testify on his own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of his statements and actions.”

Among those Kanu listed as “compellable witnesses” are a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), as well as Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma, Governors of Lagos and Imo States respectively.

He further listed the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Nwike, his Works counterpart, Dave Umahi, and the immediate past governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.

He also listed the immediate past Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the immediate past Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, his then-collegue at the State Security Service, SSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and several witnesses whose identities he didn’t reveal.

Kanu, in the notice, promised to “provide the sworn statements of all voluntary witnesses to this honourable court, and to notify the prosecution within a reasonable time”.

He assured that “no precious time of the honourable court would be delayed,” stressing, “and it would interest the honourable court and the general public that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to have been done.”

Kanu’s motion offering to open his defence came on the same day a magistrate court in Abuja ordered the remand of his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor and 12 others who were among those protesting against Kanu’s continued trial.

The police charged the 13 persons with various offences, including criminal conspiracy, disobedience of a lawful order, inciting disturbance, and disturbance of public peace, contravening sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.

The 13 defendants named in two separate first information reports (FIRs) are Ejimakor, Kanu’s brother, Emmanuel, Joshua Emmanuel, Wilson Anyalewechi, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma, and Chima Onuchukwu.

The magistrate, who stood down the case, later ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until October 24 for arraignment.