A former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, has formally applied to withdraw his appearance for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. Agabi, SAN, recently announced his decision to pull out from the case after the proceeding resumed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.
He revealed that Kanu, who has elected to defend himself, took his case file from him and the other senior lawyers who were part of his legal team.
Confirming the development from the dock, Kanu told the court that henceforth, he intends to represent himself.
He declined an offer from the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, for a lawyer to be provided for him.
In his first submission as his own lawyer, Nnamdi Kanu challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him on the 7-count terrorism-related charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
Kanu, in a fresh motion he personally signed and filed before the court, named several individuals that included serving governors, ministers, ex-governors and security chiefs among the 23 persons he intends to produce as his witnesses.
Tagging the prominent figures “compellable witnesses in his case,” Kanu urged the court to grant him a 90-day period to enable him to open and conclude his defence.
He further argued that expanding the initial 6-day period the court gave for him to conclude his defence has become mandatory in view of the number and status of the witnesses he intends to produce to prove his innocence.
Among the proposed witnesses in the principal list he submitted before the court were the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; as well as a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd).
