By Sochima Agbo 

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on multiple terrorism-related charges brought by the Federal Government.

Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling after a tense session in which Kanu was removed from the courtroom for alleged unruly conduct, prompting the court to proceed with the judgment in his absence. The judge held that several of Kanu’s broadcasts and directives - particularly those enforcing sit-at-home orders and threatening violence, amounted to acts of terrorism under Nigerian law.

He handed down a life sentence on counts relating to terrorism financing, violent threats, and leadership of a proscribed organisation. Additional sentences of 20 years and five years - on membership of a proscribed group and unlawful importation of a transmitter, were ordered to run concurrently. Omotosho further directed that Kanu be held in a secure correctional facility outside the Kuje Custodial Centre for safety reasons.

However, the judgment immediately provoked strong reactions across the South-East, with regional leaders insisting that a political resolution remains the most viable path.

Speaking on behalf of the region, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said efforts to secure a political settlement - previously stalled because the case was still in court, would now be intensified. He urged residents of the region to remain calm as leaders engage the Presidency for intervention.

Various Igbo socio-cultural and youth groups also rejected the ruling, describing it as unjust and potentially destabilising. They appealed to President Bola Tinubu to exercise constitutional powers to de-escalate tension and explore dialogue rather than prolonged incarceration.

Kanu’s legal consultant, Aloy Ejimakor, announced that the legal team would file an appeal at the Court of Appeal, describing the conviction as a “travesty” that they are confident will be overturned.

Amid widespread regional concern, civil society groups have also called on the judiciary to review aspects of the judgment, especially claims that some charges were premised on repealed legal provisions.

Despite the uproar, South-East leaders maintain that renewed engagement with the Presidency offers the best chance of resolving the long-running agitation and restoring stability in the region.