Justice James Omotosho ruled that prosecutors had successfully demonstrated that Kanu used his broadcasts and public messaging to encourage violence as part of a long-running push for an independent Biafran state in the south-east. The court found him guilty on all seven counts, including terrorism, treason, and involvement with a proscribed organisation.
Kanu, whose prominence grew substantially after he launched Radio Biafra in 2009, became a central figure in renewed agitation for an independent Igbo-majority state. Though raised and educated partly in south-eastern Nigeria, he moved to the UK before completing his studies and later obtained British citizenship. His political activism intensified in 2014 with the creation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), a movement the Nigerian government subsequently outlawed as a terrorist group in 2017. Ipob’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, has since been linked to violent attacks and killings across the region.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Omotosho stated that evidence presented in court showed Kanu had engaged in “preparatory acts of terrorism” and knowingly incited unrest. The judge noted that Kanu “failed to explain himself,” despite having the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
Courtroom tensions flared shortly before judgment, with Kanu arguing that proceedings were invalid because he had not filed his final written address. Accusing the judge of bias, he objected vocally until security officers removed him for disorderly conduct.
Kanu’s legal troubles date back to his 2015 arrest, followed by the revocation of his bail after he fled the country in 2017, reportedly during a military operation at his residence. He remained outside Nigeria until 2021, when authorities re-apprehended him in Kenya.
The Biafran question remains deeply rooted in Nigeria’s history. The 1967 attempt to establish an independent Biafran republic ended in a devastating civil war, claiming an estimated one million lives before secessionist forces surrendered. Today’s ruling is likely to renew public debate over the region’s grievances, the government’s security strategy, and the future of separatist activism in the country.