The Federal High Court in Abuja has once again adjourned the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), over health-related issues.
The case, which was meant to continue on Wednesday, has now been moved to October 16, 2025, as the court awaits a detailed medical report from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Kanu’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed the development, saying the judge requested the NMA’s report to determine if the IPOB leader is still medically fit to stand trial.
“Again, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case has been adjourned to the 16th of October, 2025. Reason: The Court wants the Nigerian Medical Association to submit a report on whether Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is ‘still fit to stand trial,’” Ejimakor told reporters.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Kanu appeared briefly in court amid tight security before the adjournment was announced. The court’s decision follows weeks of debate surrounding his health and the credibility of a medical assessment allegedly submitted by the NMA.
Earlier, IPOB had raised alarm over what it described as a “purported medical report” on Kanu’s health, allegedly produced before a formal court order for an independent examination.
The group, in a statement signed by Barrister Chukwuma Benson Ihejiofor, claimed that the report was “invalid, inadmissible, and ethically compromised,” accusing the NMA of colluding with the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services (DSS) to influence the outcome.
Nnamdi Kanu’s legal troubles date back to 2015, when he was first arrested and charged with treasonable felony for leading IPOB’s separatist movement. He was granted bail in 2017 but fled Nigeria after a military operation at his Abia home.
He was later intercepted in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in June 2021 — a move his lawyers described as an “extraordinary rendition.” Since then, his prolonged detention has sparked several human rights debates both locally and internationally.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him of all charges, but the Federal Government challenged the ruling. The Supreme Court, in December 2023, overturned that judgment and ordered the continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court.
Kanu’s lawyers have repeatedly complained about his poor health, harsh detention conditions, and the government’s refusal to obey court orders granting him bail or medical access.
As of the time of writing this report, the IPOB Leader remains in the custody of the DSS, pending the court’s next sitting.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
