Court convicts Kanu on three counts of engaging in terrorism act

By Bukola Hameed

The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on multiple charges relating to terrorism.

Delivering his ongoing judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution successfully proved that Kanu’s actions and public broadcasts amounted to acts of terrorism under Nigerian law.

According to the court, Kanu is guilty of counts one, two and three of the seven-count charge brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The judge ruled that Kanu’s repeated threats of violence, his declarations of “sit-at-home” in the South East, and his inflammatory broadcasts created fear and disrupted public order, thereby constituting terrorism.

Justice Omotosho also found Kanu guilty on counts four and five, which center on inciting violence that led to the burning of police stations, the killing of police officers, and the destruction of federal government property.

The court stated that Kanu’s directives and rhetoric directly encouraged attacks carried out in the region during the peak of IPOB-linked disturbances.

The judgment continues as the court moves toward pronouncing the full decision and possible sentencing.