The Nigerian government insisted Kanu had a case to answer as a court to postpone the decision to October 10

The federal government has stated that Nnamdi Kanu, a leader detained from the native Biafra (IPOB), must be tried on the accusations related to the terrorism submitted against him, insisting that the Prima Facie case has been determined.

At the hearing that was continued on Friday, the legal counsel to the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the submission without the Kanu case and forced him to open his defense of the allegations of seven terrorism counts submitted by the Office of the Attorney General Agung Federation.

Awomolo argues that Kanu’s actions, especially broadcasts made on Biafra radio, are not just expressions of differences of opinion, but incite and dangerous threats to the national unity of Nigeria. He told the trial judge, judge James Omotosho, that the defendant, in the broadcast, stated his intention to divide Nigeria and establish an independent Biafra Republic.

“The defendant made a broadcast in which he proudly declared himself as the leader of IPOB, even though he knew the group had been banned,” Awomolo gave him. “He claims the world will stop. The threat is not empty, it is targeted to dismantle the country, and such rhetoric has severe national security implications.”

Furthermore Awomolo accused that Kanu incited violence against law enforcement agencies, specifically directing his followers to attack and kill police officers and their families. He claimed that more than 170 security personnel were killed after broadcasts, which he described as a direct consequence of Kanu’s inflammatory message.

He stressed that Nigeria’s law forbids statements that can cause fear and insecurity among citizens, noting that the Kanu broadcast aims to instill widespread panic.

However, Kanu’s main advisor, Head of Kanu Agabi (San), rejected the government’s claim as baseless. He argued that throughout the process, there were no witnesses who testified to be incited by Kanu’s statement.

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Agabi said that the five witnesses presented by the State Service Department (DSS) only testified that he had taken a statement from the defendant and did not provide evidence of actual violence related to Kanu words.

“The prosecution has not yet presented a single investigation report that connects Kanu broadcasts with alleged acts of terrorism,” Agabi told the court. “Despite amending allegations eight times, they failed to show that everyone was incited for violence by my client.”

He further emphasized that Kanu’s statement about self -defense was not criminal and echoing similar calls made by respected numbers, including retired General Ty Danjuma. According to Agabi, such statements are included in the constitutional rights of citizens to defend themselves.

Agabi also raised concerns over prolonged isolation confinement from the defendant, on the grounds that he violated international human rights standards, which prohibited solitary detention beyond 15 days.

He stated that the prosecution had failed to prove important elements of the accusation of terrorism, and urged the court to release and free his clients on the grounds that no prime facie cases had been set.

After hearing the argument of both sides, judge Omotosho postponed the problem until October 10 for deciding about submission without a case.

Kanu, who was arrested again in 2021 after jumping guarantees in 2017, has become the center of prolonged legal and political battle around agitation for Biafra. The continuous detention and trial has attracted criticism from local and international human rights organizations.