In a landmark ruling today, the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja found separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu guilty on multiple terrorism-related charges. The decision marks a major development in the long-running legal and political drama surrounding the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its quest for secession of Nigeria’s southeast. Judge James Omotosho, presiding over the case, declared that the prosecution successfully proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kanu led and directed the proscribed group, issued stay-at-home orders that paralysed entire communities, made broadcasts inciting violence, and encouraged use of explosives against government facilities. The court found that Kanu’s actions especially the enforced sit-at-home orders in the southeast region, fell clearly within the definition of terrorism under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act (2013).
The judge stressed that only the President of Nigeria has the constitutional power to impose movement restrictions, making the sit-at-home proclamations illegal and violent in character. Kanu, a dual Nigerian-British citizen and founder of IPOB, was first arrested in 2015 and re-arrested in 2021 after a controversial rendition from Kenya. His political movement has for years claimed to seek self-determination for the Igbo-dominated south-east, but the Nigerian government deemed IPOB a terrorist organisation in 2017. In court today, Kanu was removed from the dock for unruly behaviour, after interrupting proceedings and refusing to recognise the charges or the jurisdiction of the court. His defence had earlier challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing Nigeria lacked a valid terrorism law. Judge Omotosho rejected the motion and closed defence.
Legal experts say the offence carries the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Act. The judgment may therefore have far-reaching consequences for both Kanu personally and the broader separatist movement.
Supporters of Kanu and IPOB are likely to decry the judgment as political persecution, and the risk of unrest or further mobilisation remains real. On the other hand, for many Nigerians, the decision may represent justice served under the law for acts that paralyzed parts of the country.
What’s next? Sentencing is expected to follow soon after the judgment. Legal appeals are likely, and Kanu’s union or international supporters may press human-rights arguments. Meanwhile, the government will face pressure to ensure that the judgement is implemented without triggering major backlash in the south-east.
The Naija Lowdown Writer 