The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, of terrorism charges, bringing an end to a decade-long trial.

The verdict marks a major turning point in Kanu’s prolonged legal battle with the Nigerian government, which has spanned years of courtroom confrontations and appeals.

Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment after months of legal arguments and delays that had characterised the high-profile case. The court held that the prosecution successfully proved its case, ruling that Kanu’s actions, broadcasts, and directives contributed to violent activities linked to IPOB operatives in parts of the South-East. He noted that his ruling would centre on four key issues raised during the proceedings.

Nnamdi Kanu was initially arrested in 2015 on allegations of treason before fleeing the country and later being rearrested in Kenya in 2021 and returned to Nigeria to face trial.

His conviction also comes just months after Simon Ekpa, the leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, received a six-year prison sentence in Finland for inciting violence in Nigeria.

The court also dismissed the defence team’s bid to halt the trial on the grounds that the terrorism legislation under which Kanu was charged had been repealed. The judge held that the law remained valid at the time the offences were allegedly committed, making the charges competent.

The conviction is likely to trigger fresh political and security reactions across the South-East, where IPOB remains a highly influential but controversial movement.