The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has claimed that the Nigerian government has admitted that Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Federal High Court acted without jurisdiction in the conviction and sentencing of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment.

In a statement issued by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group announced the commencement of appeal proceedings filed by Kanu at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, challenging his conviction.

According to IPOB, the appellant’s brief of argument was filed on Friday, while the Federal Government also submitted a cross-appeal in response to Kanu’s appeal.

Justice Omotosho had on November 20, 2025, convicted Kanu on terrorism charges brought by the Federal Government and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He is currently serving his sentence at the Sokoto prison facility.

IPOB claimed that the government, in its cross-appeal, acknowledged that the trial court acted without jurisdiction when it imposed a life sentence instead of a death penalty.

The group described this alleged admission as a major contradiction that, in its view, undermines the validity of the entire judgment.

“The judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho on 20 November 2025 has created a crisis far bigger than the fate of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. It has created a crisis of institutional credibility,” the statement read.

IPOB argued that jurisdiction is fundamental in law, insisting that if a court lacks jurisdiction over sentencing, it equally lacks jurisdiction over conviction.

The group further claimed that the development places the Nigerian judiciary under serious scrutiny, warning that any attempt by the Court of Appeal to uphold the conviction while accepting the alleged jurisdictional issue would amount to a contradiction in legal principle.

“The court would effectively be saying that a trial court can lack jurisdiction and yet validly convict,” IPOB stated.

It further alleged that the Federal Government has inadvertently strengthened its appeal by questioning the validity of the trial proceedings.

Kanu and his legal team had previously argued that the conviction was based on a repealed law.

With the appeal now underway, IPOB said the case goes beyond the fate of its leader and has become a broader test of Nigeria’s judicial system and constitutional order.

According to the group, the Court of Appeal is now being called upon to determine whether established principles of Nigerian criminal law remain valid or require reinterpretation.

IPOB urged observers, both within Nigeria and internationally, to closely monitor the proceedings as the case continues.