Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team has rejected the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which on Thursday convicted and sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to life imprisonment on terrorism charges. The lawyers called the judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho “a travesty of justice” and vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Kanu’s special counsel, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, described the judgment as a dark chapter in Nigeria’s judicial history.

“Today will forever be in Nigeria’s history. Today is the only day I have witnessed a man being convicted for just what he said from his mouth, not what he did with his own hands,” Ejimakor stated.

He argued that the evidence presented during the trial did not justify the conviction.

“The verdict is not consistent with the evidence laid before the court. The sentence is overbroad, cruel, and unusual,” he said.

“How can you convict a man for making a mere broadcast from a location that was never named, and you never tied that broadcast to any single incident of violence — not even someone slapping someone — let alone terrorism?”

Ejimakor maintained that Kanu’s broadcasts and advocacy for self-determination did not amount to criminal conduct.

“To pursue a separate nation is not a crime. In Nigeria today, if somebody says, ‘don’t be silly,’ he will get convicted,” he said.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu made broadcasts — and so what? You convict him for terrorism for mere words in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What kind of precedent is being set?”

The lawyer confirmed that the defence team would immediately initiate the appeals process.

“From here, we are heading to the Court of Appeal. We are going to approach the justices there to review what happened today. We are very sure they will agree that today symbolised the travesty of justice many have feared,” he said.

He added that if the Court of Appeal does not overturn the ruling, the team will proceed to the Supreme Court.
“By God Almighty, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not going to stand convicted. It is going to get overturned.”

Another member of the defence team, Barrister Maxwell Okpara, also condemned the ruling, saying it appeared to be influenced by anger rather than legal reasoning. He appealed for calm in the South-East and urged supporters not to resort to violence.

Both lawyers expressed confidence that higher courts would rectify what they described as a grave miscarriage of justice.