Nnamdi Kanu Sentenced to Life Imprisonment as Abuja Court Convicts IPOB Leader of Terrorism

Shock rippled through the courtroom on Wednesday as the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment after convicting him on all seven terrorism-related charges brought by the Nigerian government.

Presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, delivered a scathing assessment of Kanu’s activities, ruling that the separatist leader’s actions had fuelled deadly violence and destabilised communities across the South-East.

The judge said the evidence presented by federal prosecutors was “credible, compelling and sufficient,” noting that Kanu chose not to present a defence and instead allowed the case to rest solely on the prosecution’s submissions.

Justice Omotosho described Kanu as “an international terrorist,” declaring that his conduct had imperiled national security while posing as a protector of his ethnic group.

Kanu’s conviction marks a major turning point in a case that has polarised public opinion, intensified political tensions, and drawn international attention. The court is still delivering the final sections of the judgment.