The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on seven terrorism-related charges.
Kanu was convicted for offences including inciting violence during the 2020 EndSARS protests, issuing unlawful sit-at-home orders across the Southeast, and importing radio transmission equipment used to broadcast IPOB directives. The court delivered life imprisonment on four of the charges, while the remaining sentences will run concurrently.
As part of the judgment, the court also ordered restrictions on Kanu’s access to communication devices while in custody and directed the forfeiture of all IPOB radio and communication equipment seized during investigations.
Although prosecutors requested a harsher sentence, the presiding judge declined to impose the death penalty, saying the court was acting “in the interest of justice and mercy.” The judge also dismissed Kanu’s argument that the court lacked jurisdiction to try him, ruling that the federal government acted within the law in bringing the charges.
The ruling marks a significant development in a long-running legal battle that began with Kanu’s first arrest in 2015 and intensified after his controversial return to Nigeria in 2021. Supporters view him as a symbol of Igbo marginalization and a peaceful advocate for self-determination. Critics, however, argue that his rhetoric and broadcasts contributed to a surge in violent attacks, enforcement of sit-at-home orders, and public unrest across the Southeast.
Following the verdict, reactions remained sharply divided, reflecting the deep political and ethnic tensions surrounding the IPOB movement and its leader. The government says the judgment reinforces its commitment to national security, while pro-Biafra groups have condemned the ruling as persecution.
