Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, an international terrorist.
He made the declaration this Thursday afternoon, November 20, 2025, while convicting Kanu on the sixth count of making inciting broadcasts against the British High Commission and the US Embassy, including against those countries’ former envoys in Nigeria. This attracts a maximum of life imprisonment.
Justice Omotosho is still ruling on the final (seventh) charges, which, like the previous five, also carries a maximum of death sentence. Justice Omotosho is expected to announce Nnamdi Kanu’s sentence later.
Before announcing the conviction, Justice Omotosho accused Kanu – who was earlier ejected from court for opposing his impending judgement – of being unruly and disrespecting the court.
He said that the rudeness of the IPOB Leader climaxed with his disruption of the court’s proceedings.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his controversial interception and return to Nigeria from Kenya in circumstances his lawyers describe as “extraordinary rendition”.
He was tried over terrorism-related charges based on alleged incitement, running an unlawful group, and acts threatening national security—allegations he vehemently denies.
Justice Omotosho, on November 7th, fixed Thursday to deliver judgment in the charges brought against Kanu.
Justice Omotosho announced the date while ruling on the matter after Kanu failed to open his defence, having exhausted the six days allocated to him by the court to present his defence.
Kanu is entitled to challenge Omotosho’s ruling at the appellate court.
