Kanu Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Terrorism Offences

In a verdict poised to reverberate across Nigeria’s political and security landscape, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been convicted on multiple counts of terrorism and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice James Omotosho, delivering the judgment on Thursday, found Kanu guilty on all seven counts of terrorism-related charges filed against him by the Federal Government.

The court’s conviction and sentencing mark the conclusion of a highly volatile and protracted legal battle that has spanned over a decade, punctuated by Kanu’s initial arrest in 2015, subsequent bail violation, and controversial re-arrest in 2021.

Justice Omotosho, while delivering the judgment, characterized Kanu as an “international terrorist” whose rhetoric and actions were found to have directly led to bloodshed and destabilization, particularly in the South-East region of the country. The judge emphasized that the IPOB leader, who has long portrayed himself as a defender of his people seeking self-determination, had instead endangered lives and the security of the nation.

“The court finds that the defendant, Nnamdi Kanu, is an international terrorist and must be treated accordingly,” Justice Omotosho declared. He noted that the credible and sufficient evidence presented by the prosecution—which included video interviews and broadcasts where Kanu made violent threats and incitements—successfully proved the case against him beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge specifically pointed to Kanu’s violent threats, stating that “His intention was quite clear as he believed in violence. These threats of violence were nothing but terrorist acts.”

Crucially, the court found Kanu guilty on charges that included carrying out acts of terrorism, issuing and violently enforcing ‘sit-at-home’ orders that crippled the South-East region every Monday, and inciting violence against government facilities and security officials. The conviction was made easier, the judge noted, by Kanu’s decision to fail to enter a defense, choosing instead to rest his case on the prosecution’s evidence and focus solely on challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

Despite the prosecution calling for the death penalty, Justice Omotosho opted for leniency, sentencing Kanu to life imprisonment on counts one, two, four, five, and six. He received a 20-year sentence for the offense of belonging to a proscribed terrorist group (count three) and five years for the unlawful importation of a radio transmitter (count seven). The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, ensuring the most severe penalty remains in effect. Justice Omotosho explained his decision to temper justice with mercy, noting his Christian belief and the global trend against capital punishment.

The verdict, delivered after Kanu was forcibly removed from the courtroom for “unruly” and contemptuous behavior during the ruling, carries immense consequences for the future of the separatist movement and Nigeria’s security architecture. The court also ordered that Kanu be kept in a protective custody facility elsewhere in the country, and that the radio transmitter used for his broadcasts be forfeited to the Federal Government.