Judge brands Kanu ‘international terrorist’ as court hands life sentence

The judgment delivered by Justice Jamee Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, during the conviction and sentencing of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, contained several striking and strongly worded statements.

Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment after the court found him guilty on all seven counts of terrorism brought against him by the Federal Government.

In the judgment, Justice Omotosho described Kanu as the founder of IPOB, which he referred to as a terrorist organisation pushing for the secession of the South-East, South-South, and parts of Benue and Kogi states from Nigeria.

He explained that any act of violence or threat of violence intended to create fear clearly falls within the legal definition of terrorism.

The judge also emphasised that criminal intention can be either directly expressed by a defendant or inferred from their actions and surrounding circumstances.

In Kanu’s case, he said, the defendant’s conduct provided sufficient grounds to establish both intention and knowledge of the alleged offences.

Justice Omotosho went further, describing Kanu not only as a “confirmed local terrorist” but also as an “international terrorist,” citing threats issued against the British High Commission, the American Embassy, and inciting statements targeting then-British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catherina Liang.

Despite this, the court acknowledged Kanu’s repeated claims of being a freedom fighter advocating self-determination for his people—a political right recognised in international law.

Justice Omotosho noted that Nigerians may legally pursue self-determination, but only through constitutional procedures beginning with the National Assembly and potentially culminating in a referendum.

He added, however, that Kanu’s actions undermined his own stated objectives, arguing that the IPOB leader had inflicted more harm on the same communities he claimed to defend.

According to the judge, such actions could not be considered a genuine pursuit of self-determination.

The judgment, marked by these forceful comments, ultimately led to Kanu’s conviction and life sentence, closing another chapter in the long-running legal battle between the IPOB leader and the Nigerian state.