Defence To Appeal Judgement
BY BETI ONU/RITA OYIBOKA/CHIKA KWAMBA/OGORAMAKA AMOS
There was palpable tension in Anambra, Imo, Abia and other parts of the South-East, following the life sentence of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu was, after multiple amendments, charged with seven-count offences bordering on terrorism before a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho.
The Pointer reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja found Nnamdi Kanu guilty of the seven-count terrorism charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The conviction, delivered today by Justice Omotosho, marks a major turning point in the long-running trial that has shaped security discourse in the South-East for years.
Justice Omotosho held that the prosecution successfully established all the offences, which included terrorism, leading a proscribed organisation, incitement, and actions threatening the lives of security personnel. The court also referenced the series of inflammatory broadcasts attributed to Kanu, which the prosecution argued were aimed at undermining national unity and pushing a separatist agenda.
In delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho chronicled what he described as the destabilising effect of Kanu’s activities in the South-East, which he said had contributed to killings, destruction of property, and an atmosphere of fear in the region. The court rejected claims of political persecution, insisting that the charges and trial were based on the gravity of the alleged offences and their consequences.
The judge read his verdict in strong terms, stating:
“And this court is only being merciful to him because we have to be merciful, as enjoined by our Lord Jesus Christ.
‘’The court is minded to sentence the convict to death due to the atrocity he committed. The convict has not shown any remorse whatsoever for his actions.
‘’He remains arrogant, cocky, and full of himself, without realising the magnitude of his crime and the effect of what he has done against his people in the Southeast.”
Justice Omotosho said he had listened to pleas for leniency, including an allocutus delivered by a Member of the House of Representatives from Kanu’s constituency, but maintained that the court would only soften its position out of religious and humanitarian considerations. He added, “I must temper justice with mercy. The court is moved by Matthew Chapter 23, Verse 23, which states: ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees…’
‘’Particularly note the word ‘mercy.’ Our Lord Himself is merciful. No matter what we do, He is a merciful God. It is on that note that the court will follow the admonition of Jesus Christ… and show mercy to the convict.”
The court also noted the international trend away from capital punishment, stating that many nations now frown upon the death sentence. Instead, the judge handed down life imprisonment for counts one, four, five, and six, saying: “Instead of a death sentence, life is sacred to God.”
For count three, Kanu received 20 years without the option of a fine, while count seven carried five years. All sentences are to run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho justified the severity of the judgment by citing what he described as Kanu’s repeated display of violent tendencies, including unruly conduct in court.
He stated that placing the convict in the regular Kuje Correctional Centre would be “inappropriate,” given the security implications.
The court also imposed strict restrictions on Kanu’s access to communication gadgets, declaring that his previous use of phones and digital devices had facilitated broadcasts that allegedly triggered unrest in the South-East.
“The convict must not be allowed near any digital device. If he must, he must be closely monitored by the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Justice Omotosho ruled.
Citing the scale of destruction attributed to IPOB-linked violence, the judge further ordered that Kanu be kept under protective custody in a secure facility anywhere in the country, as a safeguard for both the convict and the public.
In addition, the court ruled that seized communication equipment, including transmission devices linked to IPOB operations, be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, one of Kanu’s lawyers, Maxwell Opara, in a video he posted on Facebook, hinted that the judgment will be appealed; adding that the presiding judge was swayed by his sentiments.
According to him, ‘’We are filling our notice of appeal tomorrow (today), and be rest assured that the judgment will be set aside because that was not a judgment at all. If you doubt me, I will get the Certified True Copy of the judgment and you will discover that the judge left the issues we raised.
‘’So, that judgment was predicated on anger. It was not predicated on law at all. The matter was not investigated and then judge rejected the statement of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wanted to tender…’’
In Awka, especially at Arroma, St. Faith Junction and Old Awka Road newsstand, sympathisers described Kanu’s sentence as a miscarriage of justice.
A man who simply identified himself as Vin told our correspondent that the judgment was long known and expressed no surprise, noting that the ‘’issue of unlawful invasion and killing of scores in Kanu’s father’s palace was a non-issue to those who claim they want justice served.’’
Vin alleged that the Federal Government and security agents know the real terrorists and Islamic fundamentalists in Nigeria, who, he said, are being shielded.
At Unizik, Awka, a commercial driver, who preferred anonymity, said the case should be given a political solution.
He believed that President Bola Tinubu would use Kanu’s case to lure Ndigbo for his 2027 re-election, adding that he expects amnesty for Kanu in weeks or months to come.
Also, another respondent, identified as Obinna, who spoke at Nkpor, described the judgment as part of an oppression and humiliation plot against Ndigbo. He noted that there have been rulings and judgments in favour of Kanu which were neither obeyed nor enforced. At the time of filing this report, sources in Imo, Abia, and Port Harcourt confirmed to The Pointer that everywhere remained calm after the judgment, contrary to speculations of crisis in some quarters.
