The Federal High Court in Abuja, headed by Justice James Kolawole Omotosho has sentenced the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment.
ENigeria News reports that the sentence was delivered on Thursday evening, November 20, 2025, by Justice James Omotosho, following Kanu’s conviction on all seven terrorism-related counts brought against him by the Federal Government.
The ruling came despite the prosecution’s request earlier in the day that Kanu be handed the death penalty. Lead counsel for the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, made the plea after the court found Kanu guilty on all charges, insisting that his actions resulted in the deaths of security personnel and the destruction of public infrastructure in parts of the South-East.
Awomolo argued that IPOB, along with its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), undertook coordinated efforts to destabilize the country. He maintained that only the maximum sentence would deliver justice to victims of what he described as Kanu’s “terrorist activities.”
Citing the specific punishments prescribed by law, Awomolo noted that counts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 carry the death penalty; count 3 attracts 20 years’ imprisonment; while count 7 carries a five-year jail term. He further urged the court to consider what he called the “gravity of the acts committed against innocent Nigerians.”
The prosecution also faulted Kanu’s conduct in court, stating that he showed no remorse and had displayed “arrogance” throughout the proceedings. Awomolo requested that all broadcasting equipment seized from Kanu be forfeited to the Federal Government and that the convict be barred from using digital devices or internet-connected equipment unless under the strict supervision of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Expressing concerns about security, he opposed Kanu’s detention at Kuje Correctional Centre, citing its history of jailbreaks. He argued that Kanu should instead be held in a more secure facility suitable for someone with “a continued tendency toward incitement.”
Earlier in the day, ENigeria News reported that the court temporarily adjourned after Kanu was removed from the courtroom for what Justice Omotosho described as “unruly behavior,” including repeated interruptions as the judge attempted to deliver judgment.
Upon reconvening around 4:00 p.m., the court heard a plea for leniency from Hon. Obinna Aguocha, member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency, who urged the judge to temper justice with mercy.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his controversial interception and return from Kenya, an operation his legal team has repeatedly described as an unlawful “extraordinary rendition.”
Thursday’s judgment marks the conclusion of a legal battle that has spanned more than a decade. However, Kanu retains the right to challenge both his conviction and sentencing at the Court of Appeal.
