Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed November 20, 2025, for judgment in the terrorism trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, after the separatist leader failed to open his defence.
The judge announced the date on Friday while ruling that Kanu had exhausted the six days allocated to him by the court to present his defence but failed to do so.
Justice Omotosho held that the IPOB leader could no longer claim that his right to a fair hearing had been violated since he had been given ample opportunity to defend himself but chose not to use it.
“The defendant, having failed to utilise the opportunity granted him to conduct his defence, cannot claim to have been denied the constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing,” the judge ruled.
The ruling came after the expiration of the time earlier granted to Kanu to open his defence in the terrorism-related charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
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The case, which has dragged on for years, involves allegations of terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement brought against the IPOB leader, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest and extradition to Nigeria in 2021.
Kanu had previously indicated plans to call several witnesses — including Nyesom Wike, David Umahi, and former Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai — to testify in his defence, but failed to do so within the timeframe given by the court.
With the latest development, Justice Omotosho is now set to deliver judgment on November 20, marking a critical stage in the high-profile case that has drawn both national and international attention.
