Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, UPON, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was on Thursday, sentenced to life imprisonment following conviction on all seven counts of terrorism preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The judgement is the culmination of years of a lengthy trial that saw different judges handling the trial.
Kanu, who has been in custody since his controversial re-arrest in Kenya in 2021, shouted angrily in objection to the proceedings and was ejected from court ahead of today’s ruling. He had argued that his unlawful extradition from Kenya undermined any chance of a fair trial.
Kanu pleaded not guilty in 2021 to seven charges that included “terrorism”, treason and perpetuating falsehoods against Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice James Omotosho who delivered the judgment held that Kanu was guilty on each of the counts, which covered allegations of engaging in acts of terrorism, membership and leadership of a proscribed organisation, issuing threats, involvement in attacks that led to the killing of security operatives, destruction and burning of properties, concealment of information, and the importation of an unregistered radio transmitter.
Justice Omotosho also ordered that all exhibits taken from Kanu including the Radio Biafra transmitter be forfeited to the Federal Government.
“His intention was quite clear, as he believed in violence. These threats of violence were nothing but terrorist acts,” Omotosho said.
