Nnamdi Kanu Family Declares Court Conviction Unlawful Demanding Immediate Nullification Of Unconstitutional Judgment

 

The family of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has officially rejected his recent conviction by the Abuja Federal High Court, describing the judgment as a blatant denial of due process and a violation of Nigeria’s Constitution. Kanu, who was sentenced to life imprisonment on September 20, 2025, is currently serving his term at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

According to a statement issued by Prince Emmanuel Kanu on behalf of the Okwu Kanu family, Justice James Omotosho’s ruling amounted to a judicial ambush, disregarding established constitutional provisions and Supreme Court precedents. The statement emphasized that the court’s approach represented an unprecedented affront to the legal system, arguing that it contravened the fundamental right to a fair hearing.

The family criticized the court for relying on laws that had been repealed, insisting that Section 36(12) of the Constitution clearly mandates that no individual shall be convicted unless the offense is defined in a law in force at the time. The statement highlighted that repeated Supreme Court rulings confirm that a repealed statute is no longer valid and cannot form the basis for any conviction.

Justice Omotosho’s decision, the family argued, introduced legal theories and statutory interpretations that had not been raised or debated during the trial. The statement stressed that invoking a transition or savings clause to justify the conviction was both procedurally and legally flawed. It argued that the clause applies only to pending cases at the time of a law’s repeal, whereas Kanu’s previous charges had been fully discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal, rendering any new application of the clause impossible.

The statement further asserted that the conviction ignored fundamental principles of constitutional law, undermining both the Supreme Court’s authority and the judiciary’s oath of office. “No judge can resurrect a dead law, override the Constitution, or contravene binding Supreme Court precedent without negating the very foundation of fair justice,” the family noted.

Highlighting the non-derogable nature of the right to fair hearing, the family warned that accepting the ruling could set a dangerous precedent, allowing judicial authorities to convict individuals under repealed or non-existent laws. The statement condemned the judgment as a product of “judicial improvisation,” arguing that it violated essential constitutional protections and represented a systemic threat to civil liberties.

The Okwu Kanu family concluded by demanding immediate nullification of the conviction, calling for an end to practices that compromise constitutional rights. They emphasized that Nigeria’s status as a constitutional republic requires judges to uphold the law faithfully and warned against the normalization of arbitrary judicial practices.

The case continues to draw national and international attention, highlighting ongoing debates around judicial processes, constitutional rights, and the treatment of high-profile political figures within Nigeria’s legal framework.