By Ghazali Ibrahim
A Federal High Court in Abuja has on Thursday sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the terrorist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment, following his conviction on seven terrorism‑related charges.
Presiding with precision, Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday, stating that Kanu’s actions ranging from issuing enforced stay‑at‑home orders in Nigeria’s southeastern region to broadcasting incitement of violence which constituted clear acts of terrorism.
The judge noted that Kanu had repeatedly defied court procedures, dismissed his legal team and challenged the authority of the court itself.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 but only resurfaced after a controversial 2021 extradition from Kenya after he jumped bail in 2017.
Evidence presented during the trial alleged that under his direction, IPOB orchestrated economic disruption, violent enforcement of decrees and targeted attacks on security forces.
While the court initially indicated that a death sentence could have been justified, Justice Omotosho cited global shifts away from capital punishment and chose the life sentence instead.
The sentence marks a defining moment in Nigeria’s pursuit of separatist movements and the enforcement of its counter‑terrorism legislation.
