- Safiu Kehinde
Human Rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has assured the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, of his release as the duo met before the commencement of his trial.
Sowore, who had on Monday led the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, met with the embattled secessionist leader at the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Federal High Court on Thursday.
The encounter, as captured in a video shared on Sowore’s X handle, showed the moment Kanu embraced the the Sahara Reporters publisher.
An elated Sowore thereafter assured Kanu of his release.
“Mazi, You will be out!” Sowore said.
In a caption in the video, the 2023 African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential candidate further hailed Kanu’s resilience.
“Finally, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and I met at the Federal High Court today. The man is powerful and unrelenting. We greeted and hugged and the bond is strong!” He wrote.
Meanwhile, NPO earlier Reported Kanu’s decision to take over his own defense before Justice James Omotosho following the withdrawal of his lead legal counsel and former Minister of Justice in Nigeria, Kanu Agabi (SAN).
The development took place Thursday morning as Kanu was brought to court to open his defence.
Recall that Kanu’s lawyer had participated in a protest on Monday leading to his arrest alongside Kanu’s brother.
In his first statement after the withdrawal of Agabi, Kanu said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear his case.
This was after the IPOB leader had told the court that he was henceforth going to be his own lawyer.
The development is also coming hours after the embattled secessionist leader held a private meeting with legal team ahead of the resumption of his trial today.
Prior to the meeting, Kanu had presented his defense before the court with prominent Nigerian politicians and public office holders named as his witness.