Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer threaten legal action over death call

The legal team representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has strongly condemned remarks made by an individual identified as Chigozie Nnabugwu, who publicly urged the Nigerian government to kill Kanu. Kanu's lawyers described the statement as unlawful, reckless, and a direct threat to life, demanding an immediate retraction and apology from Nnabugwu and the television station that broadcast the comments.

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If Nnamdi Kanu is dead today, if the Government of Nigeria will kill Nnamdi Kanu, trust me, normalcy will start coming, and that’s what every Igbo man prays for.

Nnabugwu, during a live broadcast interview, argued that normalcy would return to Nigeria's South-East region if Kanu were killed. He was quoted as saying, “If Nnamdi Kanu is dead today, if the Government of Nigeria will kill Nnamdi Kanu, trust me, normalcy will start coming, and that’s what every Igbo man prays for.” These comments, however, faced significant backlash on social media, with many Nigerians rejecting the suggestion and emphasizing that Kanu's legal fate should be determined within the confines of the law.

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Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team hereby strongly condemns the statement made by one Mr. Chigozie Nnabugwu on …, in which he publicly urged the Government of Nigeria to kill our client for ‘normalcy to return to the Southeast.’

Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, issued a statement on Tuesday denouncing Nnabugwu's remarks as a call for extrajudicial killing. Ejimakor argued that such statements are not only irresponsible but also violate provisions of Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act, specifically Section 24(1), which criminalizes the transmission of threatening messages via electronic means. This offense carries penalties of up to a ₦7 million fine or a three-year prison sentence, or both. He further warned of potential additional criminal liabilities under the Criminal Code for incitement to violence.

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To be sure, this call for extrajudicial killing is reckless, irresponsible, and unlawful. And it constitutes a clear threat to life and risks inciting a breakdown of public order.

Ejimakor also criticized the television station for providing a platform for inflammatory comments that could threaten public peace. He suggested that the broadcaster might face regulatory sanctions for breaching broadcast codes related to incitement and public order. The legal team stressed that broadcasters enabling hate speech or calls for unlawful killings risk regulatory action and other legal consequences. They further argued that demanding Kanu's execution while his court proceedings are ongoing is unacceptable.

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The call strains the boundaries set under Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises the knowing or intentional transmission of messages via electronic means, including those amplified on broadcast platforms and social media, that pose a threat to life or are intended to cause a breakdown of law and order.