IPOB slams FG for linking Kanu to EndSARS, calls trial a ‘judicial scandal’

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has criticised the Nigerian government for what it described as a “desperate and disgraceful” attempt to link its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to the 2020 #EndSARS protests, calling the move a “judicial scandal” that exposes systemic failures in Nigeria’s justice system.

In an emphatic statement made on Friday, IPOB’s spokesperson Emma Powerful described the proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on June 19 as “an indictment of the Nigerian state’s reckless abuse of legal process,” where he accused the Federal Government of weaponising the courts to criminalise dissent and cloak political persecution in legal robes.

Kanu, who has been in custody since his controversial re-arrest in 2021, is facing terrorism-related charges before Justice James Omotosho, but IPOB insists the trial has spiralled into what it terms “a theatre of deceit.”

Read also: Nnamdi Kanu behind 233 security deaths in #EndSARS protest – DSS

The latest court session saw the prosecution close its case following cross-examination of its final witness, known only as PW5-EEE.

According to IPOB, the witness, described as an intelligence officer, faltered under scrutiny, unable to provide credible evidence linking Kanu to any crimes.

“So damning was his performance that even the prosecution’s lead counsel, Chief Awomolo, SAN, cautioned him openly, as Justice Omotosho was visibly aggravated,” the statement read.

The defence, led by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, has now indicated its intention to file a no-case submission, arguing that the government has failed to establish any legal grounds for the charges against Kanu; hence, the court adjourned proceedings to July 18 for the adoption of final written addresses.

#EndSARS Narrative Under Fire

What appears to have triggered IPOB’s strongest reaction is the government’s alleged attempt to tie Kanu to the #EndSARS protests, an anti-police brutality movement that swept across Nigeria in late 2020.

The prosecution, through PW5-EEE, reportedly claimed Kanu incited the protests through online broadcasts.

Read also: FG closes case against Nnamdi Kanu in terrorism trial

IPOB dismissed the claim as “morally obscene” and “intellectually bankrupt,” noting that #EndSARS was a spontaneous, youth-led uprising that began in Ughelli, Delta State.

“There is no shred of evidence, no link, no trigger, no communication, that supports this ridiculous theory,” Powerful said.

Forgery Allegations and Media Silence

IPOB also accused the prosecution of fabricating evidence, including unverified autopsy reports and unsigned coroner’s certificates, to falsely connect the group to the deaths of security operatives in the South-East.

“No names, no ranks, no stations, and no death certificates were presented, seeing that the so-called assessment report was conveniently produced only in June 2025, not when the events allegedly occurred,” the statement read.

Powerful also criticised the media for allegedly turning a blind eye to the courtroom revelations, accusing some outlets of amplifying state narratives while ignoring the inconsistencies unraveling during the trial.

Kanu’s Real Crime? Speaking Truth to Power, Says IPOB

“Kanu is not on trial for violence; he is on trial for daring to speak truth to power and for demanding justice for a long-oppressed people. The government’s case is not just weak, it is a monument to state-sponsored falsehood,” IPOB stated.

Read also: How Nnamdi Kanu hid radio transmitter in household items — DSS

As the trial nears its conclusion, IPOB is urging both Nigerians and the international community to obtain Certified True Copies of the court proceedings “to witness firsthand how justice is being put on trial.”

Justice Omotosho is expected to hear final submissions on July 18, a date that could mark a crucial turning point in the high-profile legal and political saga.