Nnamdi Kanu Lists Wike, Danjuma & Sanwo-Olu As Key Defence Witnesses Ahead of Trial

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has formally notified the court that he will open his defence, and in doing so has named several high-profile individuals as witnesses to his case. According to filings accessed by The Punch, Kanu has requested to call notable figures such as Nyesom Wike, Theophilus Danjuma (retired Lt-General), and Babajide Sanwo‑Olu, Governor of Lagos State, among others. Punch

These names were confirmed independently by Premium Times and Vanguard News, which listed a total of about 23 witnesses proposed in Kanu’s motion, classified into “ordinary but material” and “vital and compellable” categories.

Filed on 21 October 2025, the motion titled “Notice of Number and Names of Witnesses to be Called by the Defendant and Request for Witness Summons Subpoena and the Variation of the Time Within Which to Defend the Counts Charges against the Defendant” was personally signed by Kanu and submitted before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court, Abuja.According to Punchnews

In the filing, Kanu states his intention to testify on his own behalf, provide a sworn account of the facts, deny the allegations and “explain the political context of his statements and actions”. He asked the court to consider granting a 90-day period for his defence in light of the number of witnesses he intends to present.

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Nnamdi kanu:Witnesses and Their Role

Among the “vital and compellable” witnesses Kanu listed are:

• Theophilus Danjuma (retired Army Chief)

• Nyesom Wike (Minister of FCT)

• Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Governor of Lagos State)

• Dave Umahi (Minister of Works)Hope Uzodinma (Governor of Imo State)

• Abubakar Malami (former Attorney-General), among others

The move signals a significant shift in strategy as Kanu prepares to defend himself from terrorism charges relating to his secessionist campaigns. It remains unclear how each listed individual will feature in his case whether as builders of context, credibility, or rebuttal of the prosecution’s narrative.

Nnamdi Kanu: Legal and Political Implications

The development comes at a sensitive juncture. In September, the court dismissed Kanu’s “no case to answer” submission and directed him to commence his defence. The court ordered medical panel also recently deemed him fit for trial.

Analysts note that naming sitting ministers and former military chiefs elevates the profile of the defence, possibly shifting the tone of the trial beyond pure legal arguments into broader political and constitutional terrain In His Own Words

In the motion, Kanu assured the court:

“No precious time of the honourable court would be delayed… It would interest the honourable court and the general public that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to have been done.”

As the trial of Nnamdi Kanu prepares to enter its next phase, the listing of such prominent figures signals a high-stakes contest of narrative, law and politics. Whether these witnesses will be accepted, summoned and ultimately heard remains to be seen but this motion reflects a bold shift in the defence’s posture and the unfolding of a major courtroom drama in Nigeria.