Nnamdi Kanu lists Wike, Sanwo-Olu, Buratai, and others as defence witnesses in his terrorism trial, seeking a 90-day window to open his case

Nnamdi Kanu defence witnesses include some of Nigeria’s most prominent political and military figures, as the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra prepares to open his case in the long-running terrorism trial against him.

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In a new motion filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, Kanu revealed his plan to call 23 witnesses, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.).

The IPOB leader, who personally signed the defence notice, categorised his witnesses into “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable witnesses.”

Others on the latter list include former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), Minister of Works David Umahi, former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, and former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Kanu said his team would rely on Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011, to compel the appearance of those considered essential to his defence. He also requested a 90-day window to conclude his case, pledging to testify personally.

“I will testify on my own behalf, providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of my statements and actions,” Kanu said in the filing.

“It will interest the honourable court and the general public that justice is not only done but is manifestly seen to have been done.”

The development followed Justice James Omotosho’s ruling that a prima facie case had been established against Kanu after dismissing his earlier no-case submission.

The court has fixed October 23 for the formal opening of his defence.

Meanwhile, Kanu’s legal team’s request to have him transferred to the National Hospital for medical treatment was rejected, with the prosecution insisting that the DSS facility was adequate.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) later declared Kanu medically fit to stand trial—a report his family dismissed as “fabricated.”

Speaking from Abia State, Kanunta Kanu, the IPOB leader’s brother, alleged that the NMA never examined Kanu and that the report was “a concoction of the prosecution.”

“Any medical report presented is fake. We want the world to know that NMA did not visit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for any medical test,” he said.

He accused the Federal Government of persecuting his brother and warned that continued injustice against the Igbo people could deepen national disunity.

The family also defended activist Omoyele Sowore, whose recent #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja led to the arrest of Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, his brother Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and ten others. They described the arrests as “unlawful and vindictive,” calling for their immediate release.

“Sowore did what many Igbo politicians were too afraid to do. Anyone linking him to the arrests is being mischievous,” Kanunta said.

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The Nnamdi Kanu defence witnesses list marks a pivotal moment in his decade-long terrorism trial, which has seen multiple court rulings, political tensions, and renewed calls for his unconditional release.