The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is set to restart on March 21, 2025. Kanu will be appearing before a new judge, Justice James Omotosho, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed the development, noting that the legal team is prepared for the proceedings. However, he also mentioned that they have not yet received the specific charges Kanu will face before Justice Omotosho.
Kanu has been facing legal battles for years due to his push for the actualization of Biafra. His trial has seen multiple delays and controversies. In September 2024, he requested that Justice Binta Nyako, who was handling his case at the time, recuse herself.
While Justice Nyako initially stepped aside, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court overruled her decision.
In December 2024, Justice Nyako indefinitely adjourned the case, leading Kanu to refuse to appear in court until a different judge was assigned. Now, with Justice Omotosho taking over, the case is set to start from the beginning.
Ejimakor said: “It’s now official that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shall appear before a new Judge on 21st March 2025. It’s a milestone; and we are primed & ready.
“He will appear before Justice James Omotosho of Federal High Court in court 7.
“The case will start new like it has never held before. Everything that was done from 2015 when he was arrested to the last time that he appeared before Justice Binta Nyako are gone including the appeals that are pending, they are gone out of the window.
“He would be rearraigned on charges that we have not seen, we can mention that we received a hearing notice but no charges have been sent to us.
“We really don’t know the charges we are facing on March 24. The government has a trick they always do, they will serve you a day before the hearing so that you don’t have time to study the charges.
“Sometimes they serve you will you are in court but the charges would have been in the court registry and we can’t start asking the court to give us copy.”
