Court Convicts Nnamdi Kanu of Terrorism Offences in Abuja Ruling
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has been convicted on three out of the seven terrorism charges filed against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The judgment was delivered on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, marking one of the most significant developments in his long-running legal battle with the government. Justice James Omotosho, who presided over the case, said that the evidence brought before the court proved that Kanu issued several violent threats in his broadcasts and interviews.
In the judgment, the court noted that Kanu used multiple video broadcasts to call for violence and killings while pushing his separatist demands for the creation of Biafra. These broadcasts, according to the judge, played a major role in inciting unrest in several parts of the South-East, especially during periods of tension. Justice Omotosho ruled that the actions described in counts one and two clearly fell under terrorism as defined by Nigerian law, especially as they encouraged attacks and civil disorder.
The judge also ruled that counts four and five, which accused Kanu of encouraging violence during the #EndSARS protests, were proven by the prosecution. These broadcasts were linked to incidents where security personnel were attacked and government buildings were damaged in Lagos. According to the court, the evidence showed that Kanu’s words contributed to the violence that followed the protests. Justice Omotosho emphasised that the statements and directives issued in those broadcasts could not be excused as political speech.
A major point of discussion during the trial was Kanu’s frequent call for people in the South-East to observe sit-at-home orders. Justice Omotosho noted that in several recorded broadcasts, Kanu threatened that shops would be burnt and people harmed if they ignored the orders. These actions, the court held, forced residents to stay indoors out of fear, disrupted businesses and farming, and created an atmosphere of panic. According to the court, such directives were “unconstitutional, subversive, and capable of destabilising the region.”
The court also rejected claims by Kanu that he was denied a fair hearing. Justice Omotosho explained that the defendant was given full opportunity to respond to the allegations and present his defence. The court noted that it considered all submissions before arriving at its final decision. The judge added that the seriousness of the offences meant that the law allowed for very severe punishment, including the possibility of a death sentence.
The ruling also highlighted a troubling broadcast in which Kanu allegedly said that the Nigerian Army would perish and that everything associated with Nigeria would be destroyed in Biafra. According to the judge, remarks like these clearly demonstrated attempts to encourage hostility against the Nigerian state and its institutions. The court said such statements, when broadcast to thousands of listeners, could incite followers to commit violent acts.
The case has drawn national and international attention due to its political, ethnic, and security implications. Many people are now waiting to see what sentence the court will issue, given Justice Omotosho’s remark that a person found guilty of these offences may face the maximum penalty under the law. As reactions continue to pour in, organisations such as the Nigerian Army and members of the National Assembly have also called for calm while the legal process continues.
More updates are expected as the case progresses and as the court prepares to deliver the official sentence in the coming days.
