RE: FALSE REPORT BY PREMIUM TIMES ON NNAMDI KANU’S SO-CALLED “WAIVER OF DEFENCE”

Also Read

 

The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to a misleading and malicious report published by Premium Times under the headline, “Nnamdi Kanu waives defence in terrorism trial – Judge cautions.”

The story, which was lifted wholesale from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), is false, inaccurate, and deliberately distorted to misrepresent the proceedings of the court.

For the record, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not waive his right to defence. That false narrative is a calculated misrepresentation of what transpired in court — the very kind of distortion Mazi Kanu had previously cautioned journalists to avoid.

What Actually Happened in Court

During the proceedings, Mazi Kanu challenged the prosecution to identify the specific law under which he is being tried. He directly asked Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, a simple and lawful question:

“Under what law am I being tried?”

The prosecution could not provide any valid statutory foundation for the charges. At that point, the presiding judge intervened and suggested that Kanu put his position in writing for the court’s record.

The issue before the court, therefore, concerns jurisdiction and legality — not any so-called waiver of defence. Mazi Kanu’s position is firmly grounded in law: no valid defence can be entered where the charging statute is repealed or unknown to law. That is a fundamental legal principle, not defiance.

Media Distortion and Accountability

It is deeply disappointing that Premium Times and similar outlets continue to act as echo chambers for state propaganda, rather than uphold the ethics of accurate, balanced, and independent journalism.

Responsible journalism demands verification and context, not the blind regurgitation of government-fed misinformation.

We challenge Premium Times and NAN to ask Chief Awomolo, SAN, to produce the law under which Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is currently being tried. Until that is done, all talk of “waiving defence” remains pure fiction.

Call for Responsible Reporting

We urge all journalists covering Mazi Kanu’s case to rise above manipulation, bias, and propaganda. The Nigerian public deserves truth, transparency, and factual reporting — not government spin or courtroom gossip masquerading as news.