(DDM) — The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a fresh motion urging the Federal High Court in Abuja to halt plans to deliver judgment in the ongoing terrorism case brought against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Kanu’s legal team, led by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, filed the motion seeking to restrain the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, from proceeding with the judgment pending the outcome of other related appeals currently before the Supreme Court.
According to the defense team, going ahead with the judgment would amount to a breach of Kanu’s constitutional rights, particularly as several issues concerning the legality of his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021 remain unresolved.
The motion, DDM learned, argues that the Federal Government acted unlawfully by continuing to prosecute Kanu despite the Court of Appeal’s 2022 ruling, which discharged and acquitted him of all terrorism-related allegations, citing procedural violations by the state.
Kanu’s lawyers insisted that the Supreme Court’s yet-to-be-delivered judgment in the government’s appeal against that decision must first be determined before any new ruling at the High Court level.
They also contended that any attempt to proceed with the terrorism judgment could prejudice Kanu’s right to fair hearing and amount to judicial overreach.
Sources close to the defense revealed that Kanu’s legal strategy is to ensure that the matter is not determined twice on overlapping issues, which could create confusion in the judicial process.
The Federal Government, however, is expected to oppose the motion, arguing that the High Court retains jurisdiction to continue hearing the matter pending any directive from the apex court.
DDM recalls that Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021 after he was forcibly returned to Nigeria from Kenya in an operation widely condemned by international human rights organisations.
His detention has since sparked widespread agitation across the South-East region, with IPOB members and civil rights groups demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
Observers say this latest motion marks another chapter in Kanu’s long-running legal battle with the Nigerian state, one that has tested the boundaries of both national security and constitutional justice.
Analysts also note that the outcome of the case will have significant political and social implications, particularly as the South-East continues to grapple with economic disruptions, insecurity, and separatist tensions linked to IPOB activities.
Kanu’s supporters have maintained that his prosecution is politically motivated, while the government insists that he must face the law for allegedly inciting violence, broadcasting falsehoods, and promoting secessionist activities.
The court is expected to announce a new date for the hearing of Kanu’s motion, which will determine whether Justice Nyako can proceed with the planned judgment.
As of press time, neither the Federal Ministry of Justice nor the DSS had issued an official statement on the latest development.
