Nnamdi Kanu faults terrorism trial, appeals conviction

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a notice of appeal challenging his conviction and multiple sentences imposed by the Federal High Court in Abuja, insisting that the trial was riddled with fundamental legal errors and amounted to a miscarriage of justice.

In the notice of appeal dated February 4, 2026, Kanu said he was appealing against his conviction and sentences on seven counts, including terrorism-related offences, for which he received five life sentences and additional prison terms, after being found guilty on November 20, 2025 .

“I, Nnamdi Kanu, the appellant, having been convicted and sentenced…do hereby give notice of appeal against my conviction,” the document stated .

Recall that Kanu was convicted of offences including “committing an act preparatory to or in furtherance of an act of terrorism,” “making a broadcast… with intent to intimidate the population,” and “being the leader and member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a proscribed organization in Nigeria,” among others.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered the judgement on November 20, 2025, sentencing Kanu to five life sentences for terrorism-related offences, 20 years imprisonment for being leader of the proscribed IPOB, and five years imprisonment with no option of fine for importing a radio transmitter without licence.

In his grounds of appeal, the IPOB leader accused the trial court of failing to resolve what he described as a “foundational disruption of the original trial process” following the 2017 military operation at his Afara-Ukwu residence.

“The Learned Trial Judge erred in law by failing to resolve the procedural and competence consequences of the foundational disruption of the original trial process in September 2017,” Kanu argued. Punch