..declares him ‘international terrorist’

The Biafra freedom fighter and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has been sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism offences.

Kanu was handed the life imprisonment sentence for Counts 4, 5 and 6 of the seven-count charges, while he was handed a 20-year jail term for Count 3.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court, Abuja said the IPOB leader was “a person who cannot be allowed to remain in the company of sane minds”, while describing him as an “international terrorist”.

He said Kanu’s claim of being a freedom fighter could not excuse actions taken outside the bounds of the law.

Omotosho noted that Kanu pursued his agitation through “brutal force and terrorism”, which caused the “bloodshed of innocent citizens”.

The federal government, through its senior counsel in the case, Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria had earlier asked for the death penalty.

“The punishment prescribed for the offences in Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six, pursuant to Section 12H of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013, is death.

“With all sense of humility, I say as a prosecutor that this court has no discretion in that regard.

“The only sentence Your Lordship can impose for Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six is death, because the law empowers you to do so, and we expect that you will.” he said.

However, the judge said that while the IPOB founder’s crimes merited the death penalty, he opted for a life sentence to show mercy.


Below are the seven counts for which he was convicted:


Count one:
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State being the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on diverse dates in 2014 and 2015 in London, United Kingdom, did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other areas within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, preparations made by you and others now at large for states in the South-East and South-South zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue States to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into the Republic of Biafra and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(c) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP. C77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.


Count two:
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area ot Abia State, on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Count three

That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulusiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50L concealed in a container of used household which you declared as used household items and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 47 (2) of the Criminal Code of Act, Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.


Count four:
That you, Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu iIbeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State in London, United Kingdom between 2018 and 2021 Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and FCT, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, professed to be a member of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organisation in Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16 Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

Count five:
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 22th of April, 2021 in London, United Kingdom on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act of terrorism in that you incite the other members (followers) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB}, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria, to look for security personnel, their family members through a Radio Biafra on 102.1FM monitored through the IPOB Community Radio and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.

Count six
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 16thh of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by making a broadcast that “In 2 weeks’ time, what will happen will shake the world, people will die, the whole world will stand still, mark my word” and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.


Count seven:
That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 31st of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by issuing a deadly threat that anyone who flouted your sit-at-home order should “write his/her will,” as a result banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses and vehicular movements grounded and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.