The Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a detailed judgment outlining how Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcasts allegedly incited the killing of security personnel and destruction of public infrastructure across southern Nigeria.
Justice James Omotosho noted that Kanu’s utterances contributed significantly to the violence recorded during the 2020 EndSARS unrest and subsequent disturbances.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho referenced multiple video broadcasts presented by the prosecution, in which Kanu allegedly urged his followers to “ambush,” “kill,” and “burn down” security operatives and government facilities.
One broadcast quoted Kanu responding to a caller by saying, “Use those guns to kill one or two of the army officers. Take their guns and begin to kill other people… Kill the Army whenever you see them.”
The judge described this as clear and direct incitement to violent attacks on security personnel.
Kanu was also found to have encouraged property destruction during the EndSARS protests.
In a live broadcast on October 20, 2020, he allegedly urged listeners to burn down hotels, the Lagos airport, and federal facilities, saying, “That very hotel must be brought down… I want Lagos to be on flame… Burn down the Lagos airport… Every federal government property in Lagos will be burnt.”
The court noted that properties referenced—including police stations, federal buildings, and transport facilities—were indeed destroyed, supported by pictorial evidence (Exhibits PWD2 and PWD2A).
Prosecution witness PW5 testified that 128 police officers, 37 military personnel, and 10 other security operatives were killed in the violence linked to the incitement.
Additionally, 164 police stations and numerous government assets were destroyed across Lagos and several southern states.
Justice Omotosho emphasized that while the court would not attribute every incident during the EndSARS unrest to Kanu, the evidence demonstrated that his broadcasts “contributed significantly to the killing of security operatives and destruction of public property.”
He condemned the broadcasts as “barbaric, unconscionable, and aimed at causing anarchy,” noting that Kanu turned himself into a tyrant who could take life at will.
The judgment forms part of the court’s broader ruling on the terrorism charges filed against Kanu.
Earlier, the court convicted Kanu on count two of the terrorism charges, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt under Section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013, which carries a punishment of death or life imprisonment. Sentencing is pending.
In a separate ruling, Justice Omotosho also convicted Kanu on count one after he failed to present a defence. The court found that Kanu’s declaration of a “sit‑at‑home” order across the Southeast, enforced through threats and violence, constituted a terrorist act.
Witness PW4 linked the killing of former presidential aide Ahmed Gulak to armed men enforcing the order, underscoring the deadly impact of Kanu’s directives.
Overall, the court concluded that the prosecution established the elements of the charges, and Kanu was found guilty on multiple counts, setting the stage for sentencing on the remaining charges.
