Judge Orders Nnamdi Kanu Removed from Courtroom, Says Verdict Can Be Delivered in His Absence

There was heightened drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja today (Thursday, November 20, 2025) after trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, ordered security operatives to escort the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, out of the courtroom for persistent interruptions and unruly conduct.

Trouble began when Kanu repeatedly insisted that the court could not proceed with delivering judgment without allowing him to file a final written address. He shouted at the judge, demanding to know where the law stipulated that he was not entitled to submit the document.

His outbursts forced the judge to briefly halt proceedings while security personnel removed him from the courtroom.

Before the disruption, Justice Omotosho had dismissed several fresh applications filed by Kanu, ruling that the motions merely repeated issues already addressed earlier in the trial. The judge also rejected Kanu’s request to refer aspects of the case to the Court of Appeal, citing Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which prohibits stay of proceedings in criminal trials.

Additionally, the court refused Kanu’s application for bail, noting that some of the matters he raised would be addressed fully in the final judgment.

As the judge prepared to begin reading the judgment, Kanu stood his ground—still insisting that the court lacked jurisdiction to proceed without accepting his written address—leading to his eventual removal.

Following the incident, Justice Omotosho reaffirmed the authority of the court, stressing that no defendant may disrupt judicial proceedings.

“The sanctity of the temple of justice must be respected,” he said, adding that based on judicial precedent, a verdict may be delivered even in the absence of a defendant who engages in disruptive behaviour.

The matter was subsequently stood down, with the court indicating readiness to deliver judgment despite Kanu’s removal.