The Federal High Court of Nigeria has dismissed a report claiming that Justice James Omotosho, the judge who sentenced Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment, survived an assassination attempt. The court described the story as entirely false and unfounded.
Earlier, a blogger posted on social media that Justice Omotosho had been attacked and rushed to a hospital just days after handing down the life sentence to Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In response, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Sulaiman Hassan, issued a statement denying the report and urging the public to treat it as fake news. He warned that the false story could cause panic, undermine confidence in the judicial system, and possibly serve as intimidation.
Hassan called on the relevant security agencies to investigate the matter, with the aim of identifying and prosecuting those responsible under Nigerian laws on cybercrime, defamation, and public misinformation. Justice Omotosho had sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment on seven counts of terrorism offenses after finding him guilty. He also imposed a 20‑year term for belonging to a proscribed terrorist group and a five‑year term for unlawful importation of a radio transmitter, with the latter two sentences to run concurrently.
The court’s decision to reject the alleged assassination attempt is a significant development in the ongoing case of Nnamdi Kanu, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s separatist movement. The case has attracted widespread attention and sparked debate about the country’s judicial system and its handling of terrorism cases. The Federal High Court’s statement underscores the importance of verifying information through credible sources, especially in sensitive cases like this one. As the investigation into the false report continues, the court’s prompt and transparent response highlights its commitment to upholding the integrity of the judicial system.
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