Separatist leader's trial sparks protests in Nigerian capital

Nnamdi Kanu’s long-running legal battle has reignited tensions in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. The separatist leader, on trial for terrorism charges linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, is set to begin his defence on Thursday after a court dismissed his no-case submission.

Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021 and holds British citizenship, denies the charges. IPOB, which was banned in 2017, is pushing for an independent Biafran state in Nigeria’s southeast.

As supporters gathered outside to demand his release, led by activist Omoyele Sowore, police fired tear gas and blocked major roads, triggering traffic chaos. Eyewitnesses say several people, including members of Kanu’s legal team and family, were arrested, though police have not commented.

Kanu remains a deeply polarizing figure: reviled by authorities, but revered by many in the southeast. His case, which has already seen years of legal twists, continues to fuel political and ethnic tensions in Nigeria.