Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court has convicted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and sentenced him to life imprisonment, Newday Reporters has gathered. The ruling comes after a decade-long legal battle.
Justice Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday, four years after Kanu was arrested in Kenya under controversial circumstances and extradited to Nigeria. He was subsequently arraigned on seven terrorism-related charges.
The judgement, monitored by Newday Reporters, was delivered in Kanu’s absence after the IPOB leader insisted that the court lacked the authority to conclude the terrorism case brought against him by the Federal Government. Following a disturbance in the courtroom, the presiding judge ordered security operatives to remove him, describing his conduct as unruly.
According to Justice Omotosho, several of Kanu’s broadcasts on Radio Biafra amounted to acts of terrorism. The court held that his rhetoric demonstrated clear intent to incite violence. The judge further ruled that Kanu’s sit-at-home directive across the South-East constituted a terrorist act, as it infringed upon citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of movement.
The court maintained that Kanu had no constitutional authority to impose such directives on the public. It added that evidence presented during the trial showed that his broadcasts contained instructions encouraging attacks on police and military officers—actions the court described as preparatory terrorism.
Consequently, the court found Kanu guilty on all seven counts, despite his plea of not guilty.
In pronouncing the sentence, Justice Omotosho stated that Kanu showed no remorse throughout the trial. The judge described him as “arrogant, cocky, and overly self-important,” noting that he failed to appreciate the gravity of his actions and their impact on the people of the South-East.
Although the offences carry the death penalty, Justice Omotosho opted for life imprisonment, citing global disapproval of capital punishment. He said:
“The death penalty is increasingly frowned upon by the international community. Therefore, in the interest of justice, I hereby sentence the convict to life imprisonment on counts one, four, five, and six.”
Newday Reporters reports that the sentence marks a major turning point in the long-running legal and political saga surrounding the IPOB leader.
