Voices across Abia State have poured out strong reactions following the conviction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. Many residents described the ruling as biased, flawed and inconsistent with established judicial procedures.
Public servant Chidiebere Madu, speaking in Umuahia, said the judgment appeared pre-arranged from the onset. He argued that Justice Omotosho’s conduct throughout the case suggested a predetermined outcome, adding that the verdict did not align with what he called “the rules of the game.”
From Bende Local Government Area, Okorie Mba echoed similar sentiments. He dismissed the ruling as “a script written elsewhere,” insisting the judge convicted Kanu on charges that, according to him, do not exist within Nigeria’s statute books. Okorie said the process demonstrated what he viewed as deep-seated judicial bias.
He criticised the court for what he described as selective interpretation of the law and urged President Bola Tinubu to order Kanu’s immediate and unconditional release to restore calm and fairness in the South-East.
Another resident, Ibe Okoroafor from Umuahia, expressed disappointment but said he was not surprised by the verdict. He questioned the judge’s decision to link Kanu to the killing of former presidential aide Ahmed Gulak, insisting that Kanu was nowhere near Nigeria at the time of the incident.
Okoroafor alleged that the court was desperate to “hold on to something” in order to convict the IPOB leader, arguing that political interests influenced the judgment. He compared Kanu’s situation to that of activist Sunday Igboho, who he said is not facing similar treatment despite his own separatist activities.
Across the state, residents insist the judgment cannot stand and called for Kanu’s release, saying continued detention risks deepening tension and mistrust in the country’s judicial and political systems.
