Kanu Agabi, former Attorney-General of the Federation and lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, applied to withdraw his representation in the ongoing terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu is facing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, filed against him by the Federal Government. When the matter was called on Thursday, Agabi informed the court that he would no longer be representing the IPOB leader, adding that the defendant had decided to take back the case from them.
In the same manner, all the Senior Advocates of Nigeria involved in the case also announced their withdrawal from the case. Kanu, confirming the development, told the court that he would be representing himself for now, but noted that the position might change later.
The trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, asked whether he should assign a lawyer to represent him, but the defendant (Kanu) declined.
Meanwhile, addressing the court orally to open his defence, Kanu argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him.
Kanu had listed former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd); a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), and others as part of his witnesses.