Nigeria’s Federal High Court in Abuja has set November 20, 2025, as the date for judgment in the terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group campaigning for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.
The ruling is expected to bring a decisive moment in a case that has defined one of the country’s most politically charged legal battles in years, testing both Nigeria’s judiciary and the government’s handling of internal dissent and national security.
Background to a Controversial Case
Kanu, 57, has been in custody since June 2021, when he was re-arrested and extradited from Kenya in a controversial operation that sparked international criticism. He faces multiple charges, including terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement, over allegations that his broadcasts and directives to IPOB members incited violence in Nigeria’s southeast.
The Nigerian government has designated IPOB a terrorist organization, accusing its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), of carrying out attacks on security installations and public officials.
Kanu and his lawyers deny all charges, insisting IPOB’s movement is non-violent and rooted in the constitutional right to self-determination.
“This case is not just about Nnamdi Kanu, it’s about the right to speak and to organize politically,” said Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel for the IPOB leader. “We believe the facts will clear him.”
The Legal Timeline
The case has seen more than 40 adjournments since its reopening in 2021, as Kanu’s defense repeatedly challenged the court’s jurisdiction and the legality of his extradition from Kenya.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal
