Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on all seven terrorism charges brought by the Federal Government.

The judgment came four years after Kanu was arrested in Kenya under contentious circumstances and returned to Nigeria. Delivering the ruling, Justice Omotosho held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on evidence that included video interviews in which Kanu allegedly issued violent threats against Nigeria and its citizens.

The court found Kanu guilty of counts one and two, which accused him of making a series of broadcasts intended to incite violence and killings in furtherance of his separatist campaign for an independent Biafra. The judge affirmed that the cumulative evidence met the threshold required to secure a conviction under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.

Following the conviction, the Federal Government immediately urged the court to impose the maximum penalty prescribed by law. Its lead counsel, Mr. Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, argued that the offences in counts one, two, four, five, and six attract a mandatory death sentence.

“My Lord, consequent upon the conviction, nothing further remains but the lawful imposition of sentence. The punishment prescribed for the offences in Counts One, Two, Four, Five, and Six, pursuant to Section 12H of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, is death,” Mr. Awomolo submitted.

“With all sense of humility, I say as a prosecutor that this court has no discretion in that regard. The only sentence Your Lordship can impose for Counts One, Two, Four, Five, and Six is death, because the law empowers you to do so, and we expect that you will.”

After hearing the prosecution’s submission, Justice Omotosho announced a recess, stating that the court would reconvene at 3:50 p.m. to deliver the final sentencing decision. He later pronounced a life sentence.