By Obinna Uballa
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected the Federal High Court in Abuja’s decision to sentence its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment on seven terrorism-related charges.
In a statement released Friday, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful insisted that Kanu “committed no offence under Nigerian law” and said his agitation represented a legitimate exercise of self-determination, protected by international law.
Powerful accused Justice James Omotosho of ignoring Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that “a person shall not be convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined in a written law.”
“No gun, no grenade, no explosives, no attack plan was ever found on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read. “Not one civilian or military witness testified that he committed any offence under Nigerian or international law. Agitation is not terrorism, and requesting a referendum is not a weapon.”
The group also criticised the government for failing to hold security forces accountable for past attacks on IPOB members during operations such as ‘Python Dance,’ while simultaneously seeking to convict Kanu.
IPOB described the court ruling as unconstitutional and questioned the legal basis for the conviction, alleging that the judgment relied on repealed provisions. “Justice Omotosho has ignored binding Court of Appeal and Supreme Court authorities that no Nigerian can be tried under a repealed or non-existent law,” the statement added.
The group said it would release a detailed response to the ruling in the coming days and continue to engage international bodies over what it called judicial and human-rights violations. IPOB also reiterated its demand for a United Nations–supervised referendum in the South-East.
Justice Omotosho delivered the sentence in Kanu’s absence, ruling that his broadcasts on Radio Biafra and directives enforcing sit-at-home orders constituted terrorism. The court further cited Kanu’s alleged involvement in attacks on security personnel by members of the Eastern Security Network as part of the prosecution’s evidence.
