Manny Ita –
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), formally filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on February 4, 2026, seeking to quash his recent terrorism conviction and life imprisonment. The appeal, documented under case number CA/ABJ/CR/…/2026, challenges the November 20, 2025, judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court. Kanu’s legal team, led by Aloy Ejimakor, described the filing as “the mother of all appeals,” revealing that the 22 grounds were distilled from an initial review that identified over 1,000 alleged procedural and legal defects during the trial. The defense argued that the streamlined grounds aim to present the appellate court with a clear picture of “cumulative systemic failure” rather than overwhelming the proceedings with volume.
Among the primary contentions, the appellant argues that the trial court erred in law by failing to resolve the “procedural and competence consequences” of his 2017 departure from Nigeria, which the defense maintains was a forced escape following a military invasion of his residence. The appeal further asserts that the trial judge misdirected himself by treating Kanu’s subsequent absence as a voluntary “flight” to be used adversely against him. Additionally, the defense team raised significant constitutional concerns, claiming that the trial court ignored preliminary objections and pending bail applications, and delivered its judgment without allowing the defense to present its final written address. A critical procedural ground cited is the failure of the court to grant Kanu the “right of allocutus”—the opportunity for a defendant to address the court personally to plead for leniency before a sentence is finalized.
Kanu, who is currently being held at a correctional facility in Sokoto, is asking the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal in its entirety, set aside the life sentences, and order his discharge and acquittal on all seven counts. The counts for which he was convicted include acts preparatory to terrorism and inciting broadcasts, specifically a May 2021 message regarding a “sit-at-home” order. Legal analysts note that the filing of this comprehensive appeal could potentially freeze the finality of the conviction while the appellate court reviews the arguments. The Federal Republic of Nigeria, named as the respondent, is expected to file its counter-arguments as the legal battle over the separatist leader’s future moves into its most critical appellate phase.
