The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment for multiple terrorism-related charges.
Justice James Omotosho handed down the sentence following a long and contentious trial that stirred tensions across Nigeria’s southeast.
Kanu, 58, was found guilty of using IPOB to incite violence, issue threats, and enforce unlawful “sit-at-home” orders that disrupted economic activity and caused casualties.
He received life imprisonment on several counts and an additional 20-year term on a separate charge. The court opted against the death penalty, which the prosecution had requested.
Kanu’s legal saga spans years. He was first arrested in 2015 for treasonable felony and terrorism, fled Nigeria in 2017 while on bail, and was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 before being returned to Nigeria. His legal team has described his return as an “extraordinary rendition.”
The prosecution had highlighted loss of life and destruction of property linked to Kanu’s actions. During the judgment, Kanu was reportedly ejected from the courtroom for unruly behavior after dismissing his lawyers and trying to represent himself.
