Nigeria convicts Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu for ‘terrorism’

Nigeria

Abuja –  A Nigerian court on Thursday convicted Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu for “terrorism” after a legal drama spanning several years.

Kanu, leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group, has long advocated for the independence of southeastern Nigeria, alleging the mistreatment of the Igbo ethnic group.”His intention was quite clear as he believed in violence. These threats of violence were nothing but terrorist acts,” judge James Omotosho said.The verdict was handed in Kanu’s absence as the judge ordered him to be thrown out of court after an outburst during which he accused the judge of ignorance of the law.

Kanu refused to call defence witnesses and dismissed his lawyers to act as his own counsel and claimed there were no charges against him.

The dual Nigerian-British citizen who had long advocated independence via the London-based Radio Biafra, drew the attention of the Nigerian government in 2015 when he said “we need guns and we need bullets”.

IPOB rejected the notion that it was a literal call for arms. Following mass pro-Biafran protests that same year – the first since the civil war – Kanu was arrested while visiting Nigeria.

He skipped bail in 2017 and fled the country after a military raid on his home. He was extradited from Kenya in 2021, in what his lawyers said was an illegal abduction.

Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram

Picture: X/@Mike27356894

For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com

Source: AFP

Article written by