Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is set to open his defence in his ongoing decade-old terrorism trial, listing several top political figures and retired military chiefs as witnesses he intends to call.
In a fresh motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, dated October 20, the IPOB leader listed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), among his witnesses.
In the defence notice personally signed him, Kanu informed the court of his intention to call 23 witnesses, divided into two categories — “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable witnesses.”
Among the “vital and compellable witnesses” are Wike, Sanwo-Olu, Buratai, alongside s former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.); the governors of Lagos and Imo states, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hope Uzodinma, respectively.
Others listed include the Minister of Works, David Umahi; a former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Also named are the former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; the immediate past Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar; and several other unnamed individuals.
According to the motion, Kanu intends to rely on Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011 to compel the appearance of those he considers “vital and compellable” witnesses.
He also asked the court to grant a 90-day window to enable him to conclude his defence, pledging to testify personally and provide sworn statements from voluntary witnesses to support his case.
“I will testify on my own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of my statements and actions,” Kanu told the court.
“It will interest the honourable court and the general public that justice is not only done but is manifestly seen to have been done.”
