Nnamdi Kanu: ‘Stop Running From Courtroom, Show the Law’

The defence team of Nnamdi Kanu has challenged the Federal Government to stop avoiding the courtroom and defend the conviction of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu, who is serving a life sentence at Sokoto Prison following his conviction on terrorism-related charges, has appealed the judgment and is seeking to overturn his conviction.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Barrister Christopher Chidera, a member of the Global Legal Consortium representing Kanu, the defence team backed the Okwu-Kanu family’s demand for the immediate hearing of his pending appeals.

The family had on Tuesday disclosed that Kanu wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Court of Appeal, seeking the immediate listing and hearing of his two pending cases.

According to the family, the request followed prolonged delays in proceedings relating to Kanu’s detention, conviction and life sentence. It also alleged that the Federal Government had shown little willingness to join issues in the appeal.

Reacting to the development, Chidera challenged the government to appear before the courts and defend the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction.

“I fully support the Okwu-Kanu family’s call for the immediate listing and determination of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s pending matters before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal,” he said.

The lawyer questioned why the Federal Government had allegedly failed to engage fully with the appeal.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has repeatedly asked that his matters be heard. If the federal government believes that his conviction is legally sound, it should come to court and defend it. There is nowhere to hide,” he stated.

Chidera also challenged the government to identify the written law under which Kanu was convicted, arguing that constitutional requirements governing criminal offences and punishments must be addressed by the appellate court.

He cited Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that a person cannot be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty are prescribed by a written law.

According to the lawyer, the central issue is which written law was legally in force when Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025.

He questioned whether provisions of a repealed criminal law could remain applicable to Kanu’s conviction through a savings clause.

Chidera also referenced Section 97 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, questioning the legal effect of the provision on proceedings commenced under earlier legislation.

He argued that the Court of Appeal would have to determine which statutory framework applied to Kanu’s case, including the law defining the alleged offence and prescribing its punishment.

“These are not complicated questions. They are the very questions Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was asking at trial when he demanded — ‘show me the law’,” Chidera said.

He maintained that the same questions had now been placed before the Court of Appeal and urged the Federal Government to provide its legal arguments for the court to determine.

“If the federal government believes the answer is favourable to it, let it come to court and give that answer. Let the court decide,” he added.

The defence lawyer stressed that his comments were not intended to prejudge the outcome of the appeal but called for the relevant legal issues to be properly argued and determined by the courts.

“The federal government should therefore stop running from the courtroom. Come and defend the conviction. Identify the law. Explain the statutory provisions. And let the Court of Appeal determine the consequences,” he said.

The latest development comes amid renewed calls by Kanu’s family and legal team for accelerated hearing of the pending appeals challenging his conviction and life sentence.