FG Asks Court to Impose Death Penalty on Nnamdi Kanu After Terrorism Conviction
The Federal Government has formally requested that a Nigerian court sentence IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to death, shortly after his recent conviction on terrorism charges.
According to the FG’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, several of the counts on which Kanu was found guilty carry the death sentence under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act of 2013.
He told the court that maximum punishment is justified in order to deliver justice for the victims of Kanu’s alleged terrorist activities.
The prosecution alleges that Kanu’s incitements led to the deaths of security personnel and significant damage to public infrastructure.
They also accused both the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its purported armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), of plotting to destabilize the country.
Out of the seven counts, Awomolo said that Counts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 specifically allow for the death penalty, while Count 3 carries a 20-year sentence, and Count 7 is punishable by up to five years in prison.
He further argued that Kanu has shown no remorse and described his courtroom behavior as arrogant.
In addition to the death sentence, the government requested the forfeiture of all broadcast equipment seized from Kanu, and urged that he be denied access to internet-enabled devices during incarceration.
Security concerns also featured in the FG’s submission. Awomolo suggested that Kanu should not be held at Kuje Prison in Abuja, citing its history of jailbreaks, and recommended a facility where his safety could be guaranteed.
Before the court adjourned for sentencing, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Obinna Aguocha, appealed for clemency, urging the court to temper justice with mercy.
The sentencing phase marks the end of a protracted legal saga. The trial of Kanu, who heads the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, has dragged on for more than a decade.