By Ghazali Ibrahim
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on all seven terrorism‑related counts brought against him.
The verdict, delivered on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho, marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s long‑running confrontation with the separatist group.
Justice Omotosho ruled that prosecutors had presented credible evidence linking Kanu to broadcast directives, incitement of violence and the issuing of stay‑at‑home orders in the southeast.
Kanu, who also holds British citizenship, had absented himself from court proceedings and dismissed his legal team, insisting the court lacked jurisdiction over his case.
“Which law states that you can charge me on an unwritten law? Show me,” he told the judge earlier.
The presiding judge described the defendant’s assertion of a right to self‑determination as “illegal” under Nigeria’s constitution, saying that political rights cannot override the law.
The case stems from Kanu’s 2021 extradition from Kenya to Nigeria after he fled while on bail in 2017.
He has since faced charges related to terrorism, treasonable felony, and others tied to his leadership of IPOB, an organisation proscribed by Abuja in 2017.
While no sentence has yet been pronounced, prosecutors have urged the maximum penalty under Nigerian counter‑terrorism laws.
