A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and sentenced him to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on all seven terrorism-related counts.
Judge James Omotosho delivered the verdict on Thursday, stating that Mr Kanu’s broadcasts and directives through IPOB “incited deadly attacks on security forces and citizens” in the south-east of Nigeria.
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In his ruling, Judge Omotosho refused the prosecution’s request for the death penalty, citing global opposition to capital punishment. “The death sentence globally is being frowned upon by the international community, so consequently and in the interest of justice, I hereby sentence the convict to life imprisonment,” he said.
According to reports, the convicted leader’s activities included repeated enforcement of Monday “sit-at-home” orders, training in bomb-making, and organisation of violent attacks aimed at achieving secession of the south-eastern region of Nigeria—historically the former Biafra zone.
Mr Kanu, a dual British-Nigerian national, was first arrested in 2015, granted bail in 2017, then fled the country before being re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria. At the trial, he challenged the court’s jurisdiction and refused to mount a defence. “Which law states that you can charge me on an unwritten law? Show me,” he declared before being removed from court for unruly behaviour.
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The judgment is likely to heighten tensions in Nigeria’s south-east region, where IPOB remains influential and grievances over marginalisation and civil-war legacies persist. Analysts warn the ruling may lead to protests and an uptick in unrest.
For now, the court has given Mr Kanu a 90-day window to file an appeal.
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