Nnamdi Kanu may have angered the judge after he declined again Tuesday to open his defence, thus laying a foundation for his conviction anytime soon.
Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has long advocated for the independence of the Biafra people of southeastern Nigeria, alleging mistreatment of the Igbo ethnic group.
The prosecution has already laid out its arguments against Kanu on charges ranging from “terrorism” to publishing intentionally misleading broadcasts.
Kanu, who has dismissed his lawyers to act as his own counsel, has thrown his case into disarray by claiming there are no charges against him, moving judge James Omotosho last week to plead with him to consult legal experts. Kanu refused to put up a defence even by himself.
When the case resumed on Tuesday, the prosecutors argued Justice Omotosho should schedule a ruling if there would not be a defence.
Kanu is basing his claim of innocence on the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, under which Kanu was originally charged, but that Act has since been replaced — and nullified — by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
In court on Tuesday, Kanu repeatedly interrupted the judge, claiming that because he was charged under the first law, there is now “no charge against me”.
Omotosho soberly asked Kanu Tuesday to find “counsel conversant in criminal proceedings”, adding: “My brother, I appeal to you in the name of almighty God.”
Kanu, a dual Nigerian-British citizen who had long advocated independence via London-based Radio Biafra, drew the attention of the Nigerian government in 2015, when he said “we need guns and we need bullets”.