Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial Will Take Nigeria Nowhere — Sowore

Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has stated that the ongoing trial of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, “will take Nigeria nowhere”, arguing that the case was unnecessary at a time when the country was battling serious security challenges.

Speaking in front of the Federal High Court in Abuja where the verdict is being passed on Kanu on Thursday, Sowore said, “This trial in the first place was unnecessary. The trial will take Nigeria nowhere, particularly at a time when Nigeria is facing serious security challenges.”

He criticised the government’s priorities, stating that attention should instead be on rescuing citizens caught in violent attacks.

“We should be focusing on how to retrieve the body of the brigadier general, if they have not. It is how to save the 25 Muslim girls that were abducted from their secondary school and 35 Christians who are kidnapped from their church—not a frivolous attempt to jail somebody whose only crime is asking for justice,” he said.

Sowore, who was in court for a separate matter, questioned the evidence presented against Kanu.

“I expected them to say they found an RPG on him, but the only evidence they found on him was a microphone, and the biggest weapon was a radio transmitter—and an underwear. I never heard before that a country would waste 10 years on that,” he added.

He also dismissed the prosecution’s reliance on an interview Kanu granted to Sahara Reporters.

“They even presented an interview from Sahara Reporters, so they want to jail him for being in an interview with Sahara Reporters, even the judge is struggling,” he said.

He added, “I just hope common sense prevails, that at the end, Nnamdi Kanu is allowed to join his family and Nigeria starts facing its real problems, of which Kanu is not one of them.”

LEADERSHIP reports that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted Nnamdi Kanu of engaging terrorism act.

The court, in its judgement in Kanu’s terrorism trial on Thursday, found Kanu guilty in relation to counts one and two of the seven-count charge brought against him by the federal government so far.

Justice Omotosho held that the threats of violence and killings, including the declaration of sit-at-home order in the South-East States, in his many broadcasts, constituted acts of terrorism.