By Chidimma Okwara,
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, has adjourned the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to October 23, 2025, granting the defense a tight schedule of six consecutive days to present and close its case.
The decisive ruling marks a pivotal phase in the high-profile terrorism and treasonable felony trial, which has been subject to multiple adjournments and legal challenges over the past several months.
The order for an accelerated trial schedule was made after the court received a critical report from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The panel, constituted by the court to assess Kanu’s health status, confirmed that the detained IPOB leader is medically fit to stand trial, thereby clearing the judicial hurdle that had previously stalled proceedings.
Justice Omotosho, having earlier dismissed Kanu’s “no-case submission” (a plea arguing the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case), directed the defense team, led by Kanu Agabi (SAN), to immediately open its case.
The judge approved the defense’s request for six consecutive court days, beginning October 23, 2025, to ensure the matter moves quickly towards its conclusion. This timeline puts significant pressure on Kanu’s legal team to organize and present all necessary witnesses and evidence within the allotted time.
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Court Approves Private Consultations
In a related development aimed at ensuring fair hearing, the court also granted an application from the defense team for private consultation between Mazi Kanu and his lawyers.
The court directed that a secure, non-monitored consultation session be held in the courtroom on October 22, the day before the trial resumes, to allow the legal team to finalize its strategy without the perceived security concerns associated with meetings at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility.
The accelerated trial dates and the confirmation of the defendant’s fitness signal the court’s determination to push the long-running case to its final stages, focusing now solely on the presentation of the defense against the charges brought by the Federal Government
