In a landmark ruling on 20 November 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment after convicting him on seven terrorism-related charges. The court’s verdict comes after a protracted trial and follows Kanu’s refusal to mount a formal defence.
Presiding over the case, Justice James Omotosho delivered a scathing judgment against Kanu, describing some of his actions — including sit-at-home orders in parts of southeastern Nigeria — as tantamount to acts of terror. The judge noted that although self-determination may be a political right, “any self-determination not done according to the constitution of Nigeria is illegal.”
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but Justice Omotosho opted instead for life imprisonment, citing evolving global norms against capital punishment.
Under the judgment, Kanu was given life terms for counts one, four, five, and six, while on other counts he received 20-year and five-year sentences, all to run concurrently.
The judge also expressed concern over Kanu’s courtroom behaviour. Prior to the ruling, Kanu was removed from the courtroom for “unruly behaviour,” according to media reports.
In his remarks, Omotosho invoked religious reflection, saying the court must “temper justice with mercy,” quoting Matthew 23:23 to underline his decision to spare Kanu from execution.
Kanu, a British-Nigerian dual citizen, was first arrested in Nigeria in 2015 but went into exile before being re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited back to Nigeria.
He has long challenged the court’s authority, filing motions arguing that the legislation under which he was charged had been repealed and that his prosecution was invalid.
Observers say the verdict could deepen political tensions in Nigeria’s southeast, where Kanu’s IPOB movement has both vocal supporters and fierce critics. The region has a fraught history: IPOB traces its roots to the secessionist ambitions of Biafra in the late 1960s, a conflict that once plunged the country into civil war.
Kanu now has 90 days to appeal the judgment.
