In an unprecedented legal move that’s sending shockwaves through Nigeria’s political and judicial corridors, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu—the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has filed a motion to open his defense, personally naming a roster of heavyweight figures as witnesses. This includes Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Works Minister Dave Umahi, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, retired Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (former Chief of Army Staff), retired Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (former Defence Minister), former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, and ex-Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, among others. (The “others” refer to the remaining witnesses on Kanu’s list, which totals 23 individuals. While the full list hasn’t been detailed in available sources).
The filing, personally signed by Kanu and submitted on October 21, 2025, to Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court in Abuja, signals his intent to testify on his own behalf while calling a total of 23 witnesses. He divided them into “ordinary but material” and “vital and compellable” categories—the latter to be subpoenaed under Section 232 of Nigeria’s Evidence Act, 2011. Kanu also requested a 90-day extension to wrap up proceedings, citing the witnesses’ stature and the need to secure their sworn statements. This isn’t just a witness list; it’s a calculated escalation in a trial that’s dragged on since 2015, marked by allegations of treasonable felony and terrorism tied to IPOB’s secessionist push.
By dragging in “untouchables” like Wike and Buratai, figures central to past crackdowns on IPOB, Kanu isn’t merely defending; he’s forcing a spotlight on the political machinery behind his detention. Legal observers note that compellable witnesses must appear if subpoenaed, or risk contempt charges, potentially paralyzing the trial if they dodge (as many predict they will). It’s a high-stakes gambit: either they testify (exposing sensitive details on Southeast security ops), or their absence becomes ammunition for appeals on procedural unfairness.
