Federal High Court convicts Nnamdi Kanu of terrorism

The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu for acts of terrorism and for belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on Thursday, shortly after ordering Kanu out of the courtroom due to what he described as unruly conduct during the proceedings. The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

So far, Kanu has been convicted on six of the seven counts brought against him by the federal government. Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution successfully established all elements required to prove the offences of terrorism.

Kanu was found guilty of carrying out terrorist acts, issuing illegal stay-at-home orders across the South-east for years, incitement, teaching people how to make bombs for attacks on government facilities, and membership of a terrorist organisation.

The judge said the prosecution demonstrated that Kanu “is a person” who made numerous inciting broadcasts threatening the federal government and citizens with “death and destruction” in pursuit of Biafra’s secession from Nigeria.

“The defendant knew what he was doing while making these violent threats. The defendant was also bent on achieving his objective with violence and did not mind if his own people died,” the judge said.

He referenced a video recording in which Kanu allegedly called for violence in Nigeria during the Third World Igbo Congress in Los Angeles, United States.

“Most of the participants were quite alarmed that they asked him if he had considered the option of peaceful dialogue to which the defendant was adamant,” Omotosho said.

Justice Omotosho also cited Kanu’s call-in broadcasts during the EndSARS protests in October 2020, where he allegedly incited listeners to burn down government facilities, including police stations, and to kill security officers and their families.

He said the defendant’s intent could be deduced from his words, conduct and other surrounding circumstances.

“His words were not mere words,” the judge noted, adding that many police officers and security personnel were killed and several police stations destroyed in Lagos as a result of the incitement.

Although not all destruction could be directly attributed to Kanu, the judge said “there is no doubt the incitement contributed to killing of security operatives and destruction of police stations.”

Citing the scale of the violence, Justice Omotosho said: “The number of police officers that were killed was 128; military officers were 37, other security officers were 10. Police stations destroyed were 164, INEC offices destroyed were nine in number. This shows the extent of damage caused by the defendants’ inciting statement.”

The judge further declared: “His intention was clear. The defendant had an evil intention to wreak havoc on the people and government of Nigeria.”

“He turned himself into a tyrant who can kill at will. The defendant cannot be allowed to remain in a sane human society,” he added.

Justice Omotosho also said Kanu could be regarded as “an international terrorist” for allegedly directing people to invade foreign embassies in Nigeria and kill the British High Commissioner.

The judge quoted several of Kanu’s recorded broadcasts, including a directive he issued for sit-at-home orders on Mondays in the South-east on 30 May 2021.