Nnamdi Kanu: ‘Stop running from courtroom, show the law’ – Defence team to Nigerian Govt
Nnamdi Kanu’s Defense Team Urges Government to Address Appeal in Court
The defense team of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has called on the Nigerian government to confront the appellate process related to his conviction rather than avoiding the courtroom. Kanu is currently serving a life sentence in Sokoto Prison after being convicted on terrorism charges brought against him by the government. He has filed an appeal seeking to overturn this conviction.
In a statement released Wednesday, Barrister Christopher Chidera, a member of the Global Legal Consortium representing Kanu, echoed the demands of the Okwu-Kanu family for an expedited hearing of Kanu’s appeal. The family revealed on Tuesday that Kanu has formally appealed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, requesting immediate attention to his pending cases.
The family’s appeal follows significant delays in the legal proceedings concerning Kanu’s detention and life sentence, with accusations that the Nigerian government has been reluctant to participate in the appeal process.
Chidera strongly criticized the government’s avoidance of the courtroom, questioning the rationale behind its absence. “If the federal government believes that his conviction is legally sound, it should come to court and defend it. There is nowhere to hide,” he stated.
He further demanded that the government present the legal basis for Kanu’s conviction before the Court of Appeal. Chidera highlighted what he described as the government’s reliance on public misunderstandings of legal matters.
“Section 36(12) requires a criminal offense and its punishment to be prescribed by written law. The pertinent inquiry must be: What was the law in effect at the time of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction on November 20, 2025?” he said.
Chidera raised questions regarding the statutory framework that governed Kanu’s conviction, emphasizing the importance of clarity regarding the laws applicable at the time. He mentioned that if a savings provision preserved prior proceedings, it remains crucial to identify the existing laws that justified the conviction.
These inquiries, according to Chidera, are straightforward and mirror Kanu’s previous demands during the trial for the government to “show me the law.” He reiterated that the same questions are now directed toward the Court of Appeal, urging the federal government to engage in the proceedings.
“The entire world is watching,” Chidera concluded, referencing the broader implications of the case as he urged governmental accountability in court.
