Breaking
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday handed Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a life term after finding him guilty on a seven-count terrorism indictment. Justice James Omotosho delivered the sentence following earlier findings that the prosecution had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The court convicted Kanu on all seven counts before sentencing. In a detailed oral ruling, the judge said Kanu’s broadcasts and public directives — including enforced sit-at-home orders — moved beyond political agitation and constituted criminal acts that precipitated violence, economic paralysis and the deaths of civilians and security personnel in parts of the southeast.
“The evidence establishes that the defendant’s conduct amounted to terrorist activity; the court is satisfied that the statutory threshold for the prescribed penalties has been met,” the court said.
Sentence by count (court findings)
The court pronounced the following terms in open court:
- Counts 4, 5 and 6: Life imprisonment — the judge held these offences attracted the maximum custodial term under the terrorism statute.
- Count 2: A 20-year jail term was imposed for offences tied to directing an unlawful sit-at-home order and related threats.
- Remaining counts (including Counts 1, 3 and 7): The court found the defendant guilty on each but bundled the overall sentencing rationale into the terms announced above. The court stated that the full written judgment, which will set out the line-by-line reasoning, will be made available in due course.
During the hearing the prosecution relied heavily on broadcast recordings, witness testimony and documentary exhibits to link Radio Biafra directives to on-the-ground violence. The judge accepted evidence that the defendant had repeatedly acknowledged his leadership role in IPOB and maintained influence over the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the group the court treated as the organisation’s armed wing.
The defence raised several legal challenges during the trial — most notably the argument that the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, under which some counts were framed, had been superseded by later legislation. The court rejected that line of defence and found that the prosecution’s case remained intact; the defence signalled an immediate intention to appeal.
Courtroom drama and immediate fallout
Tensions boiled over in court as Kanu sought to address the bench before the ruling was finalised. After heated exchanges, security officers escorted him from the dock. Outside the courtroom, reactions were swift and polarized: families of victims welcomed the ruling as justice served, while sympathisers described it as politically motivated and vowed to pursue all legal remedies.
Legal experts say the sentence — particularly the life terms on three counts and the lengthy term on another — is likely to provoke vigorous appellate litigation. The judgment and sentence carry enormous legal and political consequences and are expected to dominate headlines and courtroom calendars for months to come.