Garba Mohammed
In a major shift from his earlier position, Nnamdi Kanu on Friday complied with a Federal High Court order in Abuja and began filing his defence in the terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Kanu, who for weeks declined to open his defence until he was shown the specific terrorism law he allegedly violated, is now completing the process inside Justice James Omotosho’s courtroom. The judge had directed that the court registry be temporarily relocated into the courtroom to accommodate Kanu’s complaints and ensure immediate filing.
Midway through the session, Nnamdi Kanu submitted multiple documents as his legal team worked within the courtroom, while counsel to the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo, confirmed his readiness to receive the filings instantly and respond accordingly. Proceedings were briefly stood down for one hour to allow the defence to finalise the paperwork.
The move marks a significant turnaround for Kanu, whose refusal to proceed had stalled progress in the high-profile case. With the filing now underway, the court is expected to resume full consideration of the terrorism allegations once the documents are officially entered into the record.
As the session wrapped up, observers noted that the latest development may determine the pace and direction of the trial in the coming weeks. For supporters and critics alike, the decision by Nnamdi Kanu to finally open his defence signals a new phase in a case that continues to command national attention.