Nnamdi Kanu Fires Lawyers

Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has dismissed his lawyers and chosen to represent himself in his terrorism and incitement trial amid ongoing protests and legal disputes over the court’s jurisdiction.

Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has dismissed his legal team and opted to represent himself as his terrorism and incitement trial resumes in Abuja, in a move legal experts describe as highly unusual for a case of such magnitude. The 58-year-old head of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) argued that the court lacked jurisdiction, a claim swiftly rejected by the presiding judge, while maintaining his innocence. Kanu, who holds both Nigerian and British citizenship, remains in custody despite a 2022 appeal court ruling that briefly dismissed his charges before being reinstated by the Supreme Court.

In the days leading up to the hearing, Kanu listed several high-profile Nigerians, including former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, as witnesses to support his defence. His decision to self-represent comes amid heightened tensions in south-east Nigeria, where protests demanding his release have been met with a heavy security presence, reflecting the deep divisions surrounding IPOB’s bid for an independent Biafran state.

Kanu’s move marks a bold and defiant chapter in a legal battle that has spanned nearly a decade, drawing international attention to Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with separatist movements and questions of judicial authority. Analysts say that by representing himself, Kanu is signalling both his confidence and his desire to control the narrative, a strategy that could have wide-ranging political and social implications for the country.