Nnamdi Kanu’s defence team says the Nigerian government should stop avoiding courtroom proceedings and come to defend its position as his appeal against a terrorism conviction remains pending. Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is serving a life sentence in Sokoto Prison.
In a statement, lawyers led by Barrister Christopher Chidera challenge the government’s reluctance to appear before appellate courts. The defence backs demands by the Okwu-Kanu family for the immediate hearing of cases before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. They argue that if the government believes the conviction is legally sound, it should present its case in court.
The lawyers also raise constitutional questions, citing Section 36(12), which requires that criminal offences and punishments be prescribed by written law. They ask the government to identify the specific statute under which Kanu was convicted in November 2025, warning that reliance on repealed laws or savings clauses could invite legal scrutiny. Both outlets report the defence’s central message that the appellate courts should examine the statutory basis of the conviction rather than leave it unresolved.
