A federal high court in Abuja has convicted Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on the first of seven terrorism charges leveled against him.
In a ruling on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho cited prosecution evidence, including video interviews, in which Kanu allegedly made violent threats against Nigeria and its citizens.
The first charge relates to a September 2021 broadcast where Kanu purportedly intended to intimidate the public by warning that “people would die” and that “the whole world would standstill.”
The prosecution argued that this broadcast constituted terrorism under Section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2015.
Justice Omotosho said the videos demonstrated Kanu’s clear intention to incite violence, noting that his followers subsequently carried out terrorist acts.
“The defendant was consumed by violence and showed no regard for the safety of his own people,” the judge stated.
Kanu declined to provide context for the broadcasts when given the opportunity.
The court is yet to deliver verdicts on the remaining six counts.
