Nnamdi Kanu's Conviction: A Turning Point for Biafran Separatist Movements

Sat Nov 22 2025 16:11:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has been convicted of terrorism charges, marking a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for Biafra's independence. The court's decision raises questions about justice and self-determination in the region.

A Nigerian court has found Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the separatist movement for Biafra, guilty of terrorism after a complicated legal battle spanning several years. Kanu faces a possible death penalty as his conviction echoes the historical struggle of the Igbo people for autonomy and raises concerns about marginalization in Nigeria.

A court in Nigeria has found separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu guilty of terrorism following a decade-long legal case full of drama.

The court stated that Kanu had made numerous broadcasts inciting violence as part of his campaign for a separate state in southeastern Nigeria, known as Biafra.

He was convicted on all seven charges, including terrorism, treason, and involvement with an outlawed movement. The court has adjourned, with sentencing expected later. The prosecution has requested the death penalty, although this is rarely executed in Nigeria.

Kanu has consistently denied the charges and challenged the court's jurisdiction, once even dismissing his lawyers and refusing to defend himself.

Security in the capital, Abuja, was tightened ahead of the verdict due to concerns of potential protests from Kanu’s supporters.

Quickly rising from relative obscurity, Kanu gained national attention after starting Radio Biafra in 2009, advocating for the independence of the Igbo people, and later founded the Indigenous People Of Biafra (Ipob) in 2014.

Ipob was banned as a terrorist organization in 2017, with its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, implicated in various acts of violence.

Delivering his judgment, Judge James Omotosho remarked that Kanu demonstrated a clear intent to carry out acts of terrorism without regard for his own people, emphasizing that Kanu failed to justify his actions in court.

While Kanu enjoys popularity in southeastern Nigeria, reaction to the veracity of his convictions remains muted. His turbulent legal history includes a previous arrest in 2015, evading bail after military actions in 2017, and a controversial re-arrest in 2021 following claims of abduction from Kenya.

The call for Biafran independence traces back decades, rooted in a historical conflict that claimed a million lives during the Nigerian Civil War when leaders declared a Biafran state in 1967. Despite the state's defeat, sentiments of marginalization continue among the Igbo people, leaving lingering questions about their quest for independence.