The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Abuja Federal High Court under the ruling of Justice James Omotosho.
After a heated morning session that saw the accused sent out of the courtroom, the Judge continued the ruling, convicting him of all 7 charges brought against him by the prosecuting team.
Justice Omotosho convicted Nnamdi Kanu on charges of terrorism, public incitement, and starting a proscribed separatist group in Nigeria. A bulk of the 7-count charge stemmed from Kanu’s various public broadcasts on various issues, which were deemed controversial and against the laws of Nigeria.
Justice Omotosho, in giving his judgment, noted that the death penalty, which was in contention, is now frowned upon by the international community, hence his leniency and submission for a life imprisonment instead.
Speaking outside the court premises, the lead legal counsel for Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, stated that the verdict and the sentence will not stand, stressing that his client is not a terrorist.
” The verdict & the sentence today will not stand. MAZI NNAMDI KANU is not a terrorist. NDIGBO are not terrorists. We all know who the real terrorists are, and luckily, the Americans know them too.” Ejimakor Said.
The verdict by Justice Omotosho brings to an end a four-year legal process that started with the kidnapping and extradition of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria. The Judge stressed that the accused is still prone to violence and has shown little remorse for his alleged crimes.
His conviction terms include life imprisonment in Kuje prison and a total restriction from the internet or any digital device. The verdict sparked mixed feelings in Nigeria, dividing opinions and raising questions about the legitimacy of the legal process.
A controversial point in the judgment includes the conviction of Nnamdi Kanu as an instigator of the EndSARS Protests that swept across the nation.
Kanu’s legal team is expected to appeal the judgment in the Court of Appeal in the coming weeks.
