Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboyega Awomolo, lead prosecutor in the Federal Government’s case against Nnamdi Kanu, has applauded the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja to sentence the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader to life imprisonment.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday after Kanu was convicted on seven counts of terrorism, Awomolo said the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the law and sends a clear warning to those who believe they are above the state.
“Let it be a warning: those who think they are bigger than Nigeria. Nigeria is bigger than every one of us,” he said. “The law will take its course to deal with miscreants, terrorists, and criminals.”
Awomolo also praised the judiciary, noting that the ruling had spared the country from what he described as the influence and “oppression” of the proscribed group.
“Justice has been done, and Nigerians must appreciate the judiciary,” he noted, recalling the President’s recent remarks on the judiciary’s pivotal role during national crises.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the verdict, sentencing Kanu to life imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, 20 years on count 3, and five years on count 7, all without the option of a fine. The judge ordered all sentences to run concurrently, citing international concerns over the death penalty.
Omotosho further ruled that Kanu should be held in a secure facility other than Kuje Correctional Centre, warning that the IPOB leader still exhibited a “tendency for violence.”
Kanu’s legal team has indicated plans to appeal the judgment.
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