The leader of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has listed former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and many others as his witnesses in his ongoing trial for terrorism.
Among those Kanu listed as compellable witnesses are the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike; a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd); former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo.
Others are Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; the immediate-past Governor of Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu; the immediate-past Director General (DG), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; former DG of the State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi, and several witnesses whose identities he didn’t reveal.
Kanu also prayed the court that, in view of the number of witnesses he intends to call, the court should consider granting a 90-day timeframe to enable him conclude his defence.
The IPOB leader, in a fresh motion he personally signed and filed before Justice Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, assured that he was ready to begin his defence as ordered by the court.
The the motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 and dated Oct. 20, was filed Oct. 21.
The application was 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.
The IPOB leader said the motion was pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on the 16th day of October 2015, directing the defendant to commence his defence on the 24th day of October 2025.
Kanu informed the court of his plan to call a total of 23 witnesses divided into two categories.
The first category, he said, would be those he called ordinary but material witnesses.
He further informed the court that his second category of witnesses would be vital and compellable and shall be summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.
He prayed the court that, in view of the number of witnesses he intends to call, the court should consider granting a 90-day timeframe to enable him conclude his defence.
He told the court that he would testify on his own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of his statements and actions.
Kanu, in the motion, promised to “provide the sworn statements of all voluntary witnesses to this honourable court, and to notify the prosecution within a reasonable time.
He assured that no precious time of the honourable court would be delayed.
Besides, Kanu assured that it would interest the honourable court and the general public that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to have been done.
The latest motion came after the detained IPOB leader had, on Thursday, filed a motion of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to continue with his trial.
He had filed the objection the same day a team of medical experts empaneled by the court to determine his health status, turned in a report that he was medically fit to stand trial.
Meanwhile, a magistrate court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and 12 others who were arrested during the protest organised by Omoyele Sowore on Monday against the IPOB leader’s continued trial and detention.
The police charged the 13 persons with various offences, including criminal conspiracy, disobedience of a lawful order, inciting disturbance, and disturbance of public peace, in contravention of Sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.
The 13 defendants named in two separate first information reports (FIRs) are Ejimakor, Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel; Joshua Emmanuel; Wilson Anyalewechi; Okere Nnamdi; Clinton Chimeneze; Gabriel Joshua; Isiaka Husseini; Onyekachi Ferdinand; Amadi Prince; Edison Ojisom; Godwill Obioma; and Chima Onuchukwu.
The magistrate ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending their arraignment on Oct. 24.
(NAN)
