Nnamdi Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, has accused the Nigerian state of deliberately targeting the IPOB leader because of his ethnic identity, declaring that “an Igbo man has become the person in Nigeria that should be trampled upon.”
The lawyer made the remark after the Federal High Court sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment, a ruling he described as politically charged, legally unfounded and deeply unjust.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the verdict, Ejimakor launched a blistering critique of the judgment, insisting that the conviction was not supported by evidence.
He argued that the court punished Kanu for “mere utterances,” not for any proven act of violence or conspiracy. “Today we forever live in infamy,” he said.
“This is the only day I have witnessed a man being convicted for what he said with his mouth, not for anything he did with his own hands.”
He maintained that none of the broadcasts cited by the prosecution were tied to any incident of violence, adding that the government never established where the alleged statements originated from.
“How can you convict a man for making mere broadcasts from a location that was never even named?” he asked.
“He didn’t tie his words to any act, not to an assault, not even to a slap, yet he was convicted for terrorism.”
Ejimakor insisted that the verdict deviated completely from the facts presented in court, calling it “overbroad, cruel and unusual.”
He claimed the judgment was rooted in political considerations rather than law, alleging that ethnic bias played a significant role in the outcome.
“I’m not saying this because I’m Igbo,” he added. “If a Yoruba man is trampled upon, I will say it. But today, we saw an Igbo man being trampled upon, and by God, we will not allow it.”
The lawyer argued that Kanu’s agitation for self-determination cannot be classified as terrorism, noting that such aspirations are recognised globally as political, not criminal.
“To pursue a separate nation is not a crime,” he said.
“If somebody says something provocative, does that now amount to terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”
He vowed that the legal team would challenge the ruling immediately, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn it.
“We are heading to the Court of Appeal,” he stated.
“That court sits as a jury. We are confident the justices will agree that today symbolised a travesty of justice.”
The life sentence handed to Kanu has already begun generating widespread debate, particularly in the southeast, where many consider him a symbol of long-standing regional grievances.
With the appeal now set in motion, the legal and political dimensions of the case appear destined to intensify in the coming weeks.