Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment over terrorism offences.
The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, delivered the judgement on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
Justice Omotosho sentenced him to a combination of life imprisonment on counts 1,2,4,5, and 6, 20 years on count 3 and 5 years on count 7.
THE CONCLAVE reports that all counts will run concurrently, which means Kanu will spend the rest of his life in prison unless an appeal is presented to appeal court and the high court judgement is overturned or a political solution is found.
He had earlier convicted Kanu on all seven counts bordering on terrorism.
Each count carried the maximum death penalty, but the court weighed in on the side of life imprisonment.
But Justice Omotosho gave a reason for not sentencing him to death.
He said this was based on the fact that death sentence was going into extinction worldwide and because the Holy books recommends mercy.
He said that he should be kept in a facility suitable for his behaviour as Kuje Correctional Centre, which would not serve the purpose his sentence was meant to achieve.
He said the convict must not be allowed to go near any electronic device except he is monitored closely by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He ordered that Kanu should be kept in protective custody in any part of the country.
Omotosho also ruled that the transmitter Kanu used for his broadcasts be forfeited to the Federal Government.
He said if there is no appeal in the case, other equipment used by Kanu should be forfeited to the government.
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