The Federal Government is asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to impose the death sentence on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafa (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, after he was convicted on seven terrorism charges.
Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and lead counsel for the federal government, made the submission on Thursday, after the court found Kanu guilty of all seven counts of terrorism filed against him.
Awomolo argued that Kanu’s broadcasts incited attacks that claimed the lives of security personnel and targeted public facilities in the South-east.
“My Lord, consequent upon the conviction, nothing further remains but the lawful imposition of sentence,” Awomolo said.
“The punishment prescribed for the offences in Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six, pursuant to Section 12H of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013, is death.
“With all sense of humility, I say as a prosecutor that this court has no discretion in that regard.
“The only sentence Your Lordship can impose for Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six is death, because the law empowers you to do so, and we expect that you will.”
The prosecutor also asked the court to deny Kanu access to electronic devices and to keep him in the safest custodial centre.
Earlier, the court found the IPOB leader guilty on all seven counts.
Delivering judgment, James Omotosho, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution had successfully established every allegation.
He noted that Kanu offered no credible defence and “deliberately refused” to challenge the evidence presented in court.
Omotosho described the IPOB leader as “a person who cannot be allowed to remain in the company of sane minds.”
He added that Kanu’s longstanding claim of being a freedom fighter could not excuse actions taken outside the bounds of the law.
According to the judge, Kanu pursued his agitation through “brutal force and terrorism,” an approach he said resulted in the “bloodshed of innocent citizens”.
