Court sentences Kanu to life imprisonment for terrorism, IPOB leader to appeal

A Federal High Court in Abuja has handed a life imprisonment sentence to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho gave Kanu life imprisonment for Counts 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the seven-counts filed against him by the Federal Government instead of the death penalty.

The judge also handed Kanu a 20-year jail term on count two and five years on count seve without an option of fine.

Justice Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday after convicting Kanu on all seven counts of terrorism offences filed against him by the Federal Government.

Justice Omotosho had cited prosecution evidence as the basis for the conviction.

The court found Kanu guilty of all seven counts of making a series of broadcasts to incite violence and killings in furtherance of his separatist agitation for Biafra, belonging to proscribed association, incitement and unlawful provocation.

The court held that the threats of violence and killings, including the declaration of sit-at-home in the South East states, in his many broadcasts, constitute acts of terrorism.

The court also held that the IPOB leader was not denied a fair hearing as claimed by him.

“The defendant enforced the order of Sit-at-Home in the South East. Saying there will be a complete shutdown of Biafraland; saying I know some of you are foolish, trying to open your shop around 12 noon. If you do that, we will burn you in that shop.”

However, Aloy Ejimakor, one the legal consultants for Kanu, said the IPOB leader would be advised to appeal the judgement.