Breaking: Kanu dumps plan to call Sanwo-olu, Wike, others as witnesses

The detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has abandoned his earlier plan to call witnesses in his ongoing trial for alleged terrorism offences, insisting there is no valid case against him.

Earlier, Kanu had filed a motion requesting the court grant him 90 days to prepare his defence, citing the number of witnesses he intended to call. In the motion, personally signed and filed before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Kanu listed 23 witnesses, divided into two categories: “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable” witnesses, the latter to be summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.

Among those he had listed as compellable were high-profile figures including:

Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the FCT

Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), former Minister of Defence

Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), former Chief of Army Staff

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State

Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State

Dave Umahi, Minister of Works

Okezie Ikpeazu, immediate past Governor of Abia

Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, immediate past DG of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)

Yusuf Bichi, former DG of the State Security Service

And several others whose identities he did not reveal

The motion, titled “Notice of Number and Names of Witnesses to be Called by the Defendant and Request for Witness Summons/Subpoena and the Variation of the Time Within Which to Defend the Counts/Charges against the Defendant,” was filed on October 21, 2025 and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.

The trial had been adjourned on October 24 to allow Kanu to open his defence. However, when the case resumed on Monday, Kanu told the court he had reviewed the case file and was convinced that the prosecution had no valid charge against him. He argued that, having been subjected to what he called an unlawful trial, there was no need for him to present a defence.

Justice Omotosho asked Kanu to file a written statement outlining his position and serve it to the prosecution. The judge also advised him to consult criminal law experts on the consequences of refusing to call witnesses.

The court was adjourned to November 4, 5, and 6 for the adoption of final written addresses, during which the defence will either proceed with Kanu’s position that the prosecution has failed to prove a case or formally enter a defence..