A Nigerian court has convicted Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on seven terrorism-related charges, sentencing him to life in prison.
Judge James Omotosho ruled that prosecutors presented clear and compelling evidence that Kanu’s radio broadcasts and public commands incited violent attacks on security agencies and civilians in Nigeria’s southeastern region.
Among the convicted offenses are:
1. Incitement to violence through broadcasts
2. Ordering “sit-at-home” campaigns that disrupted daily life in the southeast
3. Leading a proscribed organisation (IPOB) with the aim of separatism
Though prosecutors called for the death penalty, the judge spared Kanu, opting for a life sentence, citing international opposition to capital punishment.
Kanu rejected the court’s authority, arguing that his charges were based on laws that had already been repealed. He also asked the Court of Appeal to halt the judgment, claiming procedural and constitutional errors in his trial.
Human rights groups and regional observers have raised serious concerns that this verdict could further inflame tensions in a region with a long history of separatist unrest.