143
By John Azu
Lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has warned that the Federal Government’s bid to secure a death sentence against his client could spark diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
In a statement issued on Monday, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, said the Federal Government’s cross-appeal seeking to upgrade Kanu’s life imprisonment sentence to capital punishment introduces significant legal, diplomatic and human rights concerns because Kanu is a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja and sentenced to life imprisonment over charges linked to his agitation for a referendum on the secession of Nigeria’s South-East region. He is currently being held at a Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Sokoto.
Following the judgment, both Kanu and the Federal Government filed separate appeals. While Kanu is challenging his conviction and sentence, the Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, is seeking a stiffer punishment, including the death penalty, which it argues is the maximum sentence permitted under the law.
Reacting to the government’s cross-appeal, Ejimakor said any attempt to impose capital punishment on Kanu could place Nigeria on a collision course with the UK government, which maintains a longstanding policy of opposing the death penalty worldwide.
“By filing a cross-appeal to demand the death penalty, the Federal Government has demonstrated a surprising disregard for the diplomatic and legal implications of seeking capital punishment against a British citizen convicted abroad,” Ejimakor stated.
According to him, Britain’s opposition to the death penalty is a core element of its foreign policy, compelling UK authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement whenever one of its citizens faces execution in another country.
He explained that such intervention typically goes beyond routine consular assistance and could involve sustained diplomatic pressure at the highest levels.
“The United Kingdom is bound by its established consular and diplomatic obligations to intervene actively in cases where a British citizen faces the death penalty overseas,” he said. “Such intervention often escalates into broader diplomatic engagement and pressure.”
Ejimakor further argued that the implications could extend beyond bilateral relations between Abuja and London, potentially attracting criticism from other Western nations that share Britain’s opposition to capital punishment.
He warned that a death sentence could generate wider international scrutiny, with possible consequences for diplomatic relations, development partnerships and other areas of cooperation between Nigeria and its foreign partners.
The Federal Government has not publicly responded to the concerns raised by Kanu’s legal team regarding the cross-appeal.
The case remains before the appellate court, where both Kanu’s appeal against his conviction and the government’s request for a harsher sentence are expected to be considered.