By Kevin Akor
ABUJA, Nigeria — Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has personally filed a formal notice of appeal against his recent conviction and life imprisonment sentence handed down by the Federal High Court.
In court documents dated Feb. 4, 2026, and stamped by the Federal High Court of Abuja, Kanu is challenging the verdict in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015. The filing marks a significant escalation in the decade-long legal battle between the Nigerian government and the separatist leader.
The Grounds for Appeal
The notice of appeal details the specific counts for which Kanu was sentenced, including committing acts preparatory to terrorism under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act and making broadcasts intended to intimidate the population.
Kanu’s legal team argues that the trial court erred in its judgment, specifically citing procedural failures and a lack of consideration for mitigating circumstances. According to the filing:
Lack of Allocutus: The defense claims the “sentence was imposed without allocutus,” referring to the formal opportunity for a defendant to speak before sentencing.
Failure of Mitigation: The document asserts that “the court did not consider relevant mitigation or sentencing factors.”
Reliefs Sought
The appellant is seeking a total reversal of the lower court’s decision. The filing requests that the Court of Appeal “quash the conviction of the Appellant in all the counts” and issue an order “discharging and acquitting the Appellant.”
One of the primary contentions involves a 2021 broadcast in which Kanu allegedly issued a “deadly threat” regarding a “sit-at-home order.” Kanu’s signature appears prominently on the final page of the notice, identifying himself as the appellant and the primary party affected by the appeal.
A Decade of Legal Turmoil
Kanu was originally charged in 2015, fleeing the country in 2017 while on bail before being intercepted in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria in 2021. His case has remained a flashpoint for political and ethnic tension in Nigeria’s southeast.
“Take notice that I, Nnamdi Kanu, the Appellant, having been convicted and sentenced… [seek] an Order of the Honourable Court of Appeal discharging and acquitting the Appellant in respect of all the counts,” the document states.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is named as the respondent in the case. No date has yet been set for the hearing at the Court of Appeal.
