IPOB Alleges Bribery Influenced Justice Omotosho’s Life Sentence of Nnamdi Kanu
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that monetary inducement and the promise of a promotion to the Court of Appeal influenced Justice James Omotosho’s decision to sentence its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment.
In a statement, IPOB spokesperson Comrade Emma Powerful claimed the group received “credible information” from an unnamed insider suggesting that the Federal High Court judge “was swayed by monetary gain and elevation to become a Court of Appeal Judge to issue an unjust life sentence ruling against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The group described the allegations as consistent with what it called the judge’s “conduct throughout the trial,” accusing Justice Omotosho of “assuming the role of a prosecuting judge” and showing “bias and a personal vendetta” against Kanu.
IPOB also accused senior lawyer Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) of adopting a similar prosecutorial posture during the proceedings.
“Justice James Omotosho and Barrister Awomolo both assumed the role of prosecuting counsels and approached the case personally,” the statement read, alleging that both acted under “pressure from those in authority to silence MNK.”
The group further claimed that during the trial, Kanu repeatedly demanded that the court and prosecution specify the written law under which he was being tried, but “the corrupt judge and lawyer never read the written law to the court’s hearing or to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
IPOB insisted the life sentence was “grounded in a nullified law that is foreign to the Nigerian constitution.”
IPOB maintained that neither Kanu nor the group had violated any Nigerian or international laws, accusing the judiciary of systemic corruption.
It cited previous judicial elevations as evidence that the government rewards judges for rulings against Kanu, including judges who overturned the Court of Appeal’s 2022 decision discharging and acquitting him.
“It is regrettable that the Nigerian judiciary has become so corrupt that abolished and unwritten laws can be applied against a defendant if the judge has received a bribe or a tempting promotion offer,” the statement said.
The group warned that the judgment could set a dangerous precedent, effectively legitimising extraordinary rendition, unlawful abductions, and the use of “unwritten or abolished laws” against defendants.
“If this unlawful ruling against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is permitted to remain, the Nigerian government will have granted itself the authority to abduct any suspect without adhering to international extradition treaties,” IPOB added.
IPOB called on the Nigerian Judicial Council, international judicial bodies, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Justice Omotosho’s conduct, particularly his alleged refusal to provide the written law referenced in the judgment.
The group said it was prepared to present evidence of what it described as the judge’s “bias.”
“Injustice, exemplified by James Omotosho in the judiciary, is why President Trump labeled Nigeria as a Disgraced Country,” the statement concluded.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
