Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Federal High Court has again urged the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu to enter defense, saying, it was his duty as a judge in the case to accord the defendant sufficient opportunity to put in his defence.
Mr Kanu is standing trial on terrorism charges after he was extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in 2021.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the IPOB leader again declined to enter defense, instead, he challenged the court to show him the section of the offense relied upon for his trial. Kanu further told the judge that the court lack the jurisdiction to try him.
He maintained his position that there is no valid charge against him to warrant his being called to enter a defence.
However, while responding to Kanu’s submission, Justice Omotosho noted that “We had adjourned till today for the defendant to put in his defence or be deemed closed. But, I am bound to give him another opportunity to put in his defence.
“If he did not, I will deem him closed. I know that he is an Economist and not a lawyer. I will give the last opportunity to the defendant to put in his defence, failure which he would be deemed closed,” the judge said and adjourned till November 7.
Earlier, Kanu, who represented himself, declined to enter defense, claiming that he has no case to answer.
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