Prosecution witness admits 'no violence' linked to arrest, says IPOB's work is 'evangelistic'
Court adjourns till May 6th, 7th, 8th
With three consecutive hearing dates set for next week, the tone of presiding justice James Omotosho suggests a closure long overdue.
During proceedings today, Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, reaffirmed its commitment to concluding the case between the federal government and Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has spanned nearly a decade.
The prosecution witness (PW1), previously presented by the government, was cross-examined at length by lead defence counsel and former attorney general, Kanu Agabi (SAN).
'PW1' confirmed that the defendant’s statement was obtained without the presence of his lawyer, while admitting that no weapon or instrument of violence were found on Nnamdi Kanu.
Items such as perfumes, a singlet, and wristwatches, seized during the arrest, were not analyzed by the witness. He said they were moved from Lagos to Abuja for “onward investigation.”
When asked by the judge if any other witness statements were obtained aside from the defendant’s, PW1 said "no".
Pressed further by the defence, the witness acknowledged that the defendant had described IPOB’s activities as “evangelistic” and non-violent. He also conceded that the defendant did not call for violence, even if he had used expressions like referring to Nigeria as a "zoo".
On the issue of violence in Nigeria, the defence drew attention to widespread killings in states like Benue and Zamfara, asking whether those incidents were tied to any agitation. The witness responded in the negative.
Justice Omotosho queried why items seized from the defendant had not yet been returned despite his earlier ruling. He ordered Kanu's defence team to file the necessary application by Monday, and restated his readiness to approve it immediately.
In his ruling, “this matter has lingered for 10 years and I am not going to stretch it further.”
The case was adjourned to the 6th, 7th, and 8th of May, 2025.
Let's see how it goes ,
Stay tuned!