From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The family of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has accused the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) of manipulating court proceedings in his ongoing terrorism trial, urging Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to either ban NAN from covering the case or permit live streaming to ensure fairness and transparency.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, by Emmanuel Kanu, the family alleged that NAN, a federal government-owned outlet, has abandoned journalistic ethics, acting as a “megaphone” for the Department of State Services (DSS) and the prosecution.
They criticised NAN’s coverage of the day’s proceedings, claiming it ignored a significant cross-examination of prosecution witness “PW-BBB,” who admitted there was no investigation report supporting the charges against Kanu. Instead, NAN focused on an irrelevant death certificate, which the family described as a “diversionary tactic” to mask the prosecution’s weak case.
“We find it unacceptable that NAN is given exclusive access to report court proceedings, particularly when their reports serve only to mislead the public and undermine judicial transparency,” the statement read. The family demanded NAN’s immediate exclusion from the courtroom due to “repeated, unethical conduct and biased reporting” or, alternatively, live streaming of the trial to guarantee accountability.
The family also addressed claims that the DSS denied Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), access to his client, calling it a misrepresentation. They praised Agabi, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, for his restraint in not publicly exposing DSS misconduct to avoid embarrassing the court. “His statesmanship should not be twisted by a discredited press agency,” they said.
The statement emphasised that Kanu’s trial tests the Nigerian judiciary’s integrity, media independence, and democratic rule of law, warning that continued distortions deepen national division and erode public trust. The family’s call for live streaming echoes earlier demands on May 6 and May 7, following similar complaints about media misrepresentation.