FULL JUDGEMENT: Read Every Word of Nnamdi Kanu’s Life Imprisonment Sentence

The Federal High Court in Abuja has officially released the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement sentencing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment.

The ruling follows an hour-long judgement delivered by Justice James Omotoso on Thursday, where Kanu was found guilty on all seven terrorism-related counts brought against him by the Nigerian Federal Government.

Instead of the death penalty, Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment for counts one, two, four, five, and six, after the court heeded appeals to temper justice with mercy.

Additionally, he received a 20-year prison term without the option of a fine for count three, and five years imprisonment for count seven.

Below is the full judgement (text and document) in CHARGE NO: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 BETWEEN FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA as COMPLAINANT AND the DEFENDANT, ‘NNAMDI KANU:

JUDGEMENT

The Defendant was arraigned before this Court on a 7 counts charge which reads thus:

COUNT ONE

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State sometimes in 2021, being a member and the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a proscribed Oganisation, did commit an act in furtherance of an act of

Terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the People of Nigeria by making a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to intimidate the population and you threatened that people will die, the whole world will stand still and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

COUNT TWO

That you Namdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State sometimes in 2021 did commit an act in furtherance of an act of Terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the People of Nigeria, made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to intimidate the population, you issued a deadly threat that anyone who flouted your sit-at-home order should write his/her Will as a result Banks, Schools, Markets, Shopping Malls, Fuel Stations domiciled in the Eastern States of Nigeria were not opened for businesses, citizens and vehicular movements in the Eastern States of Nigeria were grounded within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 203.

COUNT THREE

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse d a t e s between 2018 and 2021 within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, professed yourself to be a member and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

COUNT FOUR

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021 made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in furtherance of an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria in which you incite members of the Public in Nigeria to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel and that you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

COUNT FIVE

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021 made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in furtherance of an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria in which you incite members of the Public in Nigeria to hunt and kill families of Nigerian security personnel and that you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

COUNT SIX

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021 made a broadcast received and heard in Nigeria within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in furtherance of an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the People of Nigeria in which you directed members of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, A proscribed organization to manufacture Bombs and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 (2) (f) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013.

COUNT SEVEN

That you Nnamdi Kanu, Male, Adult, of Afaranukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on diverse dates between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, a Radio Transmitter known as Tram 50L concealed in a container of used household items which you declared as used household items, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 47 (2) (a) of Criminal Code Act, Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

In discharging its burden of proof, the Prosecution called five witnesses as follows:

The Prosecution also tendered the following which were admitted in evidence by the Court:

1. Mr. AAA PW1

2. Mr. BBB PW2

3. Mr. CCC PW3

4. Mr. DDD – PW4

5. Mr. EEE PW5

The Prosecution also tendered the following which were admitted in evidence by the Court:

Continuing reading from the CTC document here.