Four more eminent Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, have joined the legal team of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, ahead of his resumed trial.
Kanu's trial resumed before Justice James Omotosho-led Federal High Court in Abuja on April 29.
The new additions include Prof Onyechi Ikpeazu, Emeka Etiaba, Mela Audu Nunghe, and Joseph Akubo.
Kanu's Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, disclosed this in a notice informing the court of lawyers, families, and friends that would be attending Kanu's trial.
The notice by Ejimakor reads partly: “UPDATE: In addition to Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN & Uchenna Njoku, SAN, 4 more SANs have joined MAZI NNAMDI KANU’s legal team.
“They’re: Prof Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emeka Etiaba, SAN, Mela Audu Nunghe, SAN & Dr. Joseph Akubo, SAN. They will all be in Court on 29th April, 2nd & 6th May.”
During the last court outing, Justice Omotosho had approved an accelerated hearing on the seven-count terrorism charge against Kanu.
The accelerated hearing was in consideration of the fact that the case had been ongoing for 10 years.
Kanu was first arrested on October 14, 2015, following his return to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
The IPOB leader was later granted bail in 2017 on health grounds after being detained at the Kuje Correctional Facility.
But he eloped to Europe and was later re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria to continue his trial.
Since his return to Nigeria, courts had discharged and acquitted him of all charges but the Nigerian government refused to release him.
Under the previous judge, Binta Nyako of the same court, Kanu had openly challenged her to recuse herself from his trial because he lacked confidence in her judgment.
After much back and forth, Justice Nyako recused herself from Kanu's case and it was reassigned to Justice Omotosho.
