Kanu Agabi, former Attorney-General of the Federation and lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday applied to withdraw his representation in the ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu is currently facing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government.
When the matter was called, Agabi informed the court that he would no longer be representing the IPOB leader, stating that “the defendant has decided to take back the case from us.”
In the same manner, all the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) previously representing Kanu also announced their withdrawal from the case.
Kanu, confirming the development, told the court that he would be representing himself for now, but noted that “the position might change later.”
The trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, asked whether the court should assign a lawyer to represent him, but the defendant declined.
Meanwhile, addressing the court orally to open his defence, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him.
Recall that Justice Omotosho, on October 16, granted the defendant six consecutive days—beginning from October 23—to open and close his defence in view of the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case.
Kanu had listed former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd); and former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) among his proposed witnesses.