In a significant development in the ongoing terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission for prosecution witnesses to testify behind a protective screen to shield their identities.
Justice James Omotosho gave the order on Tuesday after considering an ex-parte application filed by the Federal Government’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN). The prosecution argued that due to the sensitive nature of the case and national security implications, it was imperative to protect the identities of the witnesses.
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Awomolo emphasized that public exposure could endanger the lives of the witnesses and jeopardize the progress of the case. He therefore requested that their faces be concealed during the trial and their names withheld from public records. Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), did not oppose the application, but requested reciprocal cooperation from the prosecution during future bail proceedings.
Nnamdi Kanu is currently facing a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism and acts threatening Nigeria’s national security. He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his controversial extradition from Kenya under circumstances that have drawn widespread criticism from international human rights groups.
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Despite ongoing legal battles and numerous calls for his release, including from global organizations and political figures in the South-East, Kanu has remained incarcerated as the government insists on prosecuting him to the fullest extent of the law.
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Following the court’s ruling, the Federal Government opened its case by calling its first protected witness, identified only as “PWAAA.” The witness has begun giving testimony as the trial formally moves into its evidentiary phase.
The case continues to attract national and international attention due to its political and ethnic sensitivities, especially as IPOB has consistently maintained its stance on Biafran independence.
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Legal analysts believe the court’s latest decision could mark a turning point in the high-profile trial, potentially accelerating the pace of proceedings that have lingered for years.
