FG takes action over death penalty against Nnamdi Kanu
The Nigerian government has decided not to continue with its cross appeal seeking the mandatory death penalty against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s Special Counsel, disclosed this on Thursday, August 20, 2026, following a formal communication he received from the government’s side two days earlier.
According to Ejimakor, the communication confirmed that the Federal Government would no longer pursue its appeal on the issue of mandatory capital punishment in Kanu’s case.
The development means the government will not continue its legal effort to have the death penalty imposed on the IPOB leader after the trial court previously sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Ejimakor described the latest development as the end of the matter concerning the death penalty appeal, indicating that there would be no further attempt by the government to push for capital punishment against Kanu through that particular appeal.
The dispute over Kanu’s punishment dates back to November 2025, when the prosecution sought a mandatory death sentence for him under provisions of the amended Terrorism Prevention Act.
However, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to impose the death penalty.
The judge instead sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment after considering the direction of international law and the growing move away from capital punishment in many countries.
The Federal Government subsequently pursued a cross appeal over the issue of the mandatory death penalty, seeking to challenge the decision not to impose capital punishment.
