Nnamdi Kanu fresh motion to strike out charges
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a new motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to have all charges against him struck out. His legal team submitted the application ahead of the next hearing, arguing that the charges lack merit and violate his fundamental rights.
In the fresh motion, Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, contended that the federal government has failed to present a valid case since his arrest and extradition from Kenya in 2021. He maintained that the continued prosecution is politically motivated and inconsistent with earlier court rulings that questioned the legality of his rendition.
Kanu’s lawyers also stated that the charges were defective, unconstitutional, and amounted to an abuse of court process. They asked the court to dismiss the case entirely and order his immediate release, insisting that the federal government has not produced credible evidence linking him to any criminal activity.
The Department of State Services (DSS), which has kept Kanu in custody, is expected to respond to the new application before the court’s next sitting. Legal analysts say this development could significantly impact the long-running case, which has sparked nationwide interest and international concern over human rights and due process in Nigeria.
Supporters of the IPOB leader have continued to call for his release, while the federal government maintains that his trial must proceed in accordance with national security laws. The case remains one of the most closely watched political trials in Nigeria’s recent history.
