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IPOB Says FG Cross-Appeal Undermines Kanu’s Conviction, Claims ‘Jurisdiction Is Not a Buffet’

Published

3 months ago

June 6, 2026

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu

IPOB Says FG Cross-Appeal Undermines Kanu’s Conviction, Claims ‘Jurisdiction Is Not a Buffet’

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared that the Federal Government’s cross-appeal in the case of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has fundamentally weakened the legal foundation of his conviction and raised serious questions about the jurisdiction of the trial court. In a statement issued on Friday, June 5, 2026, by the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB argued that the appeal process has moved beyond the fate of Kanu alone and now places the credibility of the Nigerian judiciary under intense scrutiny. The group claimed that the Federal Government, in its cross-appeal filed in response to Kanu’s appeal, allegedly admitted that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, acted without jurisdiction when he convicted Kanu and sentenced him to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

“The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra… wishes to draw the attention of all reasonable Nigerians, the international community, members of the diplomatic corps, legal practitioners, human-rights organizations, and all defenders of constitutional government to a reality that can no longer be hidden,” the statement said. IPOB said the recent cross-appeal filed by the Federal Government, in which it allegedly conceded that the trial court acted without jurisdiction in imposing a life sentence instead of a death penalty, had “changed everything” about the case. The group noted that the Federal Government’s brief of argument was filed on Friday, June 5, 2026, at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, in response to Kanu’s appeal challenging his conviction.

IPOB seized on the government’s cross-appeal argument that the trial judge erred by imposing a life sentence instead of the death penalty, interpreting this as a concession that the court acted without proper legal authority. “The Federal Government has effectively fired a cannon through the heart of the judgment it is simultaneously attempting to defend,” the statement read in part. “The implication is simple. Jurisdiction is not divisible. Jurisdiction is not a buffet… Jurisdiction is a continuum,” the group said. IPOB argued that if the trial court lacked jurisdiction at the sentencing stage, then the entire conviction should be considered invalid, maintaining that “the conviction and sentence are juridically inseparable. One cannot survive without the other.”

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IPOB further contended that the Court of Appeal would be forced to either reject or reconcile what it described as contradictions in the Federal Government’s position. “Any attempt by the Court of Appeal to affirm the conviction while simultaneously accepting the Federal Government’s admission regarding jurisdiction would require the creation of an entirely new species of criminal jurisprudence unknown to Nigeria, unknown to the Commonwealth, and unknown to the common-law world,” the statement added. “The court would effectively be saying that a trial court can lack jurisdiction and yet validly convict.” The group argued that the Federal Government has inadvertently converted itself into a witness against its own judgment. “If the trial court lacked jurisdiction to impose sentence, as the Federal Government now asserts, then the same trial court lacked jurisdiction to produce the conviction from which the sentence supposedly arose,” IPOB stated. “The question now becomes unavoidable: If the trial court lacked jurisdiction, what exactly is left to affirm?”

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted Kanu on November 20, 2025, on terrorism charges filed against him by the Federal Government, sentencing him to life imprisonment. Kanu is currently serving his life sentence at the Sokoto Correctional Facility. Kanu had previously filed his notice of appeal on February 4, 2026, challenging the conviction on 22 grounds. In that appeal, Kanu argued, among other things, that the trial court delivered its judgment while a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the charge and his bail application remained pending and undetermined, and that the court erred by convicting him under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, which he asserted had been repealed by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Kanu also alleged that he was denied a fair hearing because he was not permitted to file and adopt a final written address before the verdict was delivered, and that the trial judge failed to grant him the right of allocutus—the opportunity to address the court before sentencing—and neglected to consider relevant mitigating factors. Following Kanu’s appeal, the Federal Government filed its cross-appeal, seeking an upward review of the sentence from life imprisonment to the death penalty. It is this cross-appeal that IPOB now claims contains the admission that Justice Omotosho acted without jurisdiction.

IPOB also outlined what it described as multiple procedural and legal defects in the trial proceedings. The group alleged that the proceedings were founded on repealed statutes, specifically noting that the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 under which Kanu was charged had been repealed by the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. The group further claimed that Kanu was denied a final address and allocutus, that the court failed to determine jurisdictional objections properly, and that the prosecution relied on provisions not pleaded in the charges. According to IPOB, the trial judge himself acknowledged that without a written law there can be no conviction, yet proceeded to convict Kanu under a repealed law. “The TPAA was not a written law in force in Nigeria as of 20 November 2025,” IPOB stated, referring to the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act. The group further alleged that there was a failure to disclose applicable statutes and withholding of evidence, along with the denial of fair hearing. According to IPOB, these alleged irregularities have rendered Kanu’s conviction legally unsustainable.

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IPOB declared that the Nigerian judiciary itself is now on trial, arguing that the issues before the Court of Appeal extend far beyond the fate of one man. “The issue before the Court of Appeal in the case of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is no longer merely about one man. It is now about whether the Nigerian judicial system is prepared to remain a legal institution or whether it is prepared to openly repudiate its own foundational principles,” the statement read. IPOB further argued that the appeal has assumed significance far beyond the immediate parties involved in the case. “The Court of Appeal is no longer deciding merely whether Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be convicted. It is deciding whether long-established principles of Nigerian criminal law still mean what they say,” IPOB said. “It would have to explain how a conviction can stand when the trial judge himself acknowledged that without a written law there can be no conviction,” the statement added.

The group warned that the implications of the appeal could extend beyond Kanu’s case and affect future criminal prosecutions in Nigeria. “Every future criminal defendant would be entitled to ask whether jurisdiction still matters… whether fair hearing still matters… whether constitutional supremacy still matters,” it said. “The Nigerian judiciary now stands at a crossroads. One path preserves the integrity of constitutional government. The other path requires the abandonment of principles repeatedly proclaimed by Nigerian courts over many decades,” the statement warned. The group called on the international community, members of the diplomatic corps, legal practitioners, human rights organizations, and all defenders of constitutional government to pay close attention to the proceedings. IPOB insisted that the outcome would have lasting consequences for Nigeria’s legal system and described the appeal as a test for the judiciary, urging observers within and outside Nigeria to monitor proceedings closely.

The legal saga surrounding Nnamdi Kanu has seen numerous twists since his initial arrest in 2015. He was granted bail in April 2017 but fled the country after an invasion of his home by the Nigerian military in September 2017 during Operation Python Dance. He was re-arrested in Kenya and controversially renditioned back to Nigeria in June 2021. The Court of Appeal had previously, on October 13, 2022, held that the manner of Kanu’s rendition violated the country’s extradition treaty and breached his fundamental human rights, striking out the terrorism charges and ordering his release. However, the Federal Government appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which set aside the Court of Appeal’s judgment and ruled that the trial could proceed despite the violation of Kanu’s rights. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the trial resumed before Justice Omotosho, leading to the November 2025 conviction that is now the subject of the competing appeals. The Court of Appeal is yet to fix a hearing date for the appeals, while the Federal Government has not publicly responded to IPOB’s latest claims.

For readers seeking a quick summary of the key details, the following information has been confirmed. Nnamdi Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is currently serving his sentence at the Sokoto Correctional Facility. Kanu filed his appeal on February 4, 2026, on 22 grounds. The Federal Government filed its cross-appeal on June 5, 2026, seeking the death penalty. IPOB claims that the cross-appeal contains an admission that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to impose the life sentence, arguing that jurisdiction is indivisible and that the conviction and sentence cannot be separated. The Court of Appeal has not yet fixed a hearing date for the appeals.

IPOB Says FG Cross-Appeal Undermines Kanu’s Conviction, Claims ‘Jurisdiction Is Not a Buffet’

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Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: FG begins Kara Bridge repairs Tuesday, deploys traffic agencies

Published

4 hours ago

September 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: FG begins Kara Bridge repairs Tuesday, deploys traffic agencies

Motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway should brace for fresh traffic disruption as the Federal Government begins a two-week repair of the damaged expansion joints on the Kara Bridge from Tuesday, September 8.

The Federal Ministry of Works announced the planned intervention on Saturday, saying traffic control measures would be introduced throughout the repair period to minimise congestion and protect motorists.

The Acting Controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Ogun State, Engr. Richard Adeleye, disclosed this during an inspection of the affected section of the expressway.

Adeleye said the expansion joints had exceeded their service life and had become a safety concern for motorists using the heavily trafficked highway.

He explained that the repair would be executed in phases, with one half of the affected section closed at a time while traffic is allowed to move slowly on the other half.

“There will be traffic control here from the 8th of this month, which will last for two weeks, precisely because of the curing that is expected before it is opened to traffic,” Adeleye said.

According to him, the first half of the expansion joint would be repaired for about a week before work would be switched to the other end, allowing traffic to continue throughout the exercise.

He said personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, among other agencies, would be deployed to manage traffic around the construction zone.

Adeleye explained that expansion joints are critical components of bridges, designed to absorb movement caused by temperature changes.

He warned that failure to replace damaged joints could result in more serious structural defects, including buckling and cracking of the bridge.

“Without expansion joints on the bridge, there could be serious damage to the bridge itself because of expansion due to the heat during the day and shrinking during the cold times of the day,” he said.

“The expansion joint absorbs that movement of the bridge; otherwise, it can cause serious damage by buckling or cracking.”

The controller assured motorists that the rehabilitation would be completed within two weeks, “all things being equal.”

He appealed to road users to exercise patience and comply with traffic directives during the exercise, noting that the damaged expansion joint had contributed to accidents along the section.

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Oloyede: Muslim Women Can Attain Highest Academic Rank — History Proves It

Published

6 hours ago

September 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Former JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede

Oloyede: Muslim Women Can Attain Highest Academic Rank — History Proves It

Former JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede and university don Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun have charged newly elevated Professor Habibat Oladosu-Uthman to view her new rank as a responsibility to humanity rather than a status symbol.

Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and university don Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun have charged the newly elevated Professor Habibat Oladosu-Uthman to regard her professorship as a responsibility to humanity rather than a privilege or status symbol. Oladosu-Uthman was recently elevated to the rank of Professor at the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan. The event was marked with a reception and thanksgiving ceremony held at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque in Ibadan, Oyo State, bringing together members of the academic community, Muslim scholars, family members, friends and associates to honour her contributions to scholarship.

Oloyede, who chaired the ceremony celebrating her elevation, described professorship as the formal recognition of years of intellectual labour, disciplined scholarship, teaching, mentorship and service, stressing that the rank also comes with greater responsibility. “An occasion such as this is much more than a celebration of a new title. It is the formal recognition of sustained intellectual labour, disciplined scholarship, teaching, mentorship, service and contribution to knowledge. It is, at the same time, the beginning of a heavier responsibility,” he said. The former JAMB boss lauded Oladosu-Uthman’s academic journey and scholarly contributions, noting her specialisation in Islamic thought and civilisation, gender studies, comparative religion, Christian-Muslim relations, cultural criticism, Islam in West Africa, and interreligious and intercultural dialogue. He urged her to continue to mentor younger academics, stressing that the true measure of a professor should include the ability to produce other scholars. According to him, “A Professor must produce other scholars. A Professor who publishes extensively but produces no intellectual successors has achieved only part of the assignment.”

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Oloyede also commended the achievement of Oladosu-Uthman as a Muslim woman attaining the highest academic rank, noting that Islamic history provides ample evidence of women making significant contributions to scholarship. He said the question should not be whether women are capable of attaining the highest level of scholarship, adding that history had already provided the answer. The former JAMB registrar also urged the new professor to use her scholarship to promote interreligious and intercultural understanding, stressing that religious scholarship should contribute to truth, justice, compassion and human dignity.

On his part, Prof. Balogun, who delivered the thanksgiving lecture at the reception, cautioned her against allowing her new status to create a distance between her and others. He urged her to remain humble, receptive to corrections and conscious of the limitations of human knowledge. Balogun said: “Remember always that the Professor does not know everything. A student may ask a question that the Professor cannot answer.” He added: “Remember also that humility is the glory of mortals. Humility affects how we respond to corrections, supervise our students, relate with our colleagues and lead our research teams.” Balogun also reminded Oladosu-Uthman that academic titles and appointments were not permanent, urging her to focus on the impact she would make through her new position. “No condition is permanent. Appointments end. Titles change. People will always remember how you treated them and what they were able to achieve through you now that you are a Professor,” he said.

The don also urged her to see humanity as her constituency, regardless of her academic achievements. “No matter how high you rise in academia, remain human. Consider the entire humanity as your constituency,” Balogun said. He described knowledge as an amanah (trust), saying scholars had a responsibility to ensure that knowledge was deployed for the good of society.

Prof. Habibat Oladosu-Uthman obtained her PhD in Islamic Thought and Civilization from the International Islamic University of Malaysia in 2011. Her research interests span comparative religion, Christian-Muslim relations, cultural criticism, Islam in West Africa, and gender studies. She is currently one of the focal persons at the University of Ibadan Gender Mainstreaming Office. She is also an International Fellow of the King Abdullah bin AbdulAziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Lisbon, Portugal (2019 cohort). In July 2026, Oladosu-Uthman delivered a lecture calling for the adoption of Qur’anic and Prophetic models as effective strategies for preventing gender-based violence against women and girls. She argued that adherence to Islamic principles would promote peace, justice and respect for human dignity, stating that “the Qur’anic and Prophetic models celebrate human dignity whether male or female.” She also condemned harmful cultural practices that violate the rights and dignity of women, including widowhood rites and festivals that restrict women’s movement. Balogun also paid tribute to pioneers of Arabic and Islamic scholarship, including Musa Oladipupo Ajilogba Abdul and Ismail Ayinla Babatunde Balogun, as well as other scholars whose contributions helped shape the development of Islamic studies in Nigerian universities.

Oloyede: Muslim Women Can Attain Highest Academic Rank — History Proves It

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Kano Hisbah arrests 22 suspected crossdressers over alleged hook-up, drug abuse

Published

10 hours ago

September 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Kano Hisbah arrests 22 suspected crossdressers over alleged hook-up, drug abuse

The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 22 suspected crossdressers in different parts of the state following complaints from residents over alleged immoral activities.

The suspects, comprising 10 women and 12 men, were reportedly arrested around Zoo Road, Court Road and other neighbouring areas in Kano metropolis.

Deputy Commander General of the Kano Hisbah Board, Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen, confirmed the arrests, saying the operation followed complaints received from members of the public.

Aminuddeen said preliminary investigations showed that most of the suspects had entered Kano State from other parts of the country.

He further alleged that the suspects admitted during questioning to engaging in hook-up activities and drug abuse.

The Hisbah official said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged activities and determine the appropriate action against each suspect.

He added that individuals found culpable would face the law, stressing that the arrests did not amount to a final determination of guilt.

The latest operation is part of the Hisbah Board’s intensified enforcement activities in Kano, particularly against conduct the agency considers contrary to the state’s religious and social values.

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Aminuddeen reiterated that the board would not tolerate what it described as acts of immorality in the state, warning that its personnel would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations in areas identified as hotspots.

The development comes amid increased attention on morality enforcement in Kano, with Hisbah officials carrying out operations in hotels, entertainment venues and other locations following complaints or intelligence reports.

In a separate operation earlier in 2026, the board arrested individuals during a raid on a hotel over alleged immoral activities. Hisbah officials have also previously announced arrests involving suspected crossdressers in Kano, particularly around entertainment and social venues.

The board has maintained that its enforcement activities are aimed at protecting public morality and addressing social vices, while critics of such operations have raised questions about due process and the treatment of individuals accused of offences.

The latest arrests have also brought renewed attention to the intersection of cross-dressing, drug abuse and alleged hook-up activities in Kano, particularly as authorities continue efforts to curb what they regard as social vices.

For now, the allegations against the 22 suspects remain subject to investigation. Any prosecution or further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation and the applicable laws.

Aminuddeen said the Kano Hisbah Board would continue working with residents and other relevant authorities to identify and address activities considered harmful to the community.

The board also urged members of the public to continue providing information about suspected violations, saying such cooperation would assist its efforts to maintain public order and morality across the state.