IPOB Accuses Court Of Bias, Demands Kanu’s Immediate Release
IPOB Condemns Kanu’s Conviction, Accuses Court of Political Bias
THE proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has launched a scathing attack on the Federal High Court following the conviction and life imprisonment of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, accusing the trial judge of bias, political interference, and a grave miscarriage of justice.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group described the ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho as “vendetta disguised as justice,” insisting that Kanu was convicted without credible evidence or due process.
Allegations of Judicial Impropriety
IPOB claimed that the court ignored basic legal safeguards in arriving at its decision, alleging that Kanu was sentenced “without proof, without allocutus,” a term referring to the opportunity for a convicted person to speak before sentencing.
The group further alleged that Kanu was transferred to Sokoto following his conviction as a deliberate attempt to isolate him from his legal team and frustrate the appeals process.
“This was not justice. It was vendetta dressed in robes,” IPOB said, insisting that the ruling reflected political pressure rather than judicial independence.
According to the group, Justice Omotosho acted in line with the interests of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than the dictates of the law.
Linking Kanu’s Detention to National Insecurity
IPOB also used the statement to draw a connection between Kanu’s continued detention and the worsening security situation across Nigeria.
The group accused authorities of focusing on silencing dissent while violent attacks and insecurity continue to spread across different regions of the country, including the South-West.
“While Justice Omotosho busied himself doing the bidding of his APC political masters by jailing an innocent man, the very forces he sought to appease have now carried terror into Yorubaland itself,” the statement read.
IPOB argued that the suffering currently being experienced in several communities—marked by raids, killings and displacement—reflects a broader failure of justice and governance.
Warnings Ignored, Group Claims
According to IPOB, Kanu had repeatedly warned that injustice and selective application of the law would eventually destabilise the entire country, not just the South-East.
The group claimed those warnings were ignored, adding that Nigeria is now witnessing the consequences of what it described as a culture of impunity.
“When injustice becomes policy, peace becomes impossible,” the statement said.
Challenge to the Presidency
IPOB directly challenged President Bola Tinubu to justify Kanu’s continued detention, describing it as unlawful and counterproductive.
The group accused individuals advising the president to maintain Kanu’s imprisonment of undermining national unity and stability.
“Those advising this administration to continue the unlawful detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are not defending Nigeria; they are accelerating its collapse,” IPOB declared.
It insisted that Kanu’s release would not weaken the state but rather help restore confidence in the justice system and de-escalate tensions.
Call for Immediate Release
Reiterating its long-standing position, IPOB maintained that peace and stability would remain elusive until what it termed “justice” is restored.
“The immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not a concession; it is a necessity,” the group said, adding that continued detention would only deepen mistrust and instability.
Kanu was convicted in November 2025 on terrorism-related charges and handed multiple life sentences by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The federal government has consistently defended the prosecution as lawful, while IPOB maintains that the trial was politically motivated.
