The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on all seven terrorism-related charges filed by the Federal Government.
The judgment was delivered in Kanu’s absence after security operatives escorted him out of the courtroom for what the judge described as disruptive behaviour.
Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, had challenged the legality of the charges, arguing that they were based on a law—the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act—that he claimed had been repealed. He urged the court to dismiss the case entirely, nullify the “not guilty” plea entered on his behalf, and declare all subsequent proceedings invalid.
He also maintained that the Abuja division of the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to try him, insisting that the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling should have barred the continuation of the trial.
However, in his decision on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho dismissed Kanu’s objections, ruling that the court has full jurisdiction to hear the matter. He added that issues relating to Kanu’s extradition had already been settled by the Supreme Court and could not be reopened.
On Kanu’s claim of unfair hearing, the judge held that the defendant had been given every opportunity to defend himself but chose not to do so.
“I pleaded with the defendant repeatedly to enter his defence, but he refused,” Justice Omotosho said. “That shows he elected to rest his case on the prosecution—a gamble and a risky action.”
The judge then relied on the unchallenged evidence presented by the prosecution to convict Kanu on all counts.
“The prosecution has proved Count 1 beyond reasonable doubt,” he ruled. “Consequently, the defendant is hereby convicted in respect of Count 1.”
The court issued similar findings on the remaining charges, resulting in a full conviction on all seven counts.
