Federal High Court Debunks Claim of Assassination Attempt on Justice Omotosho

The Federal High Court has rejected an online claim that Justice James Omotosho survived an assassination attempt shortly after sentencing Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment, describing the story as entirely fabricated.

The false report, published by a blogger on Facebook, alleged that the judge was attacked early Saturday and rushed to hospital while security operatives tried to secure the scene. In a statement circulated to journalists on Sunday, Chief Registrar Sulaiman Hassan dismissed the claim as baseless and urged the public to ignore it.

He said the court viewed the report as a deliberate attempt to cause panic, erode trust in the judiciary, and possibly intimidate the judge. He called on security agencies and regulatory bodies to investigate the source of the publication, identify those behind it, and prosecute them under laws covering cybercrime, defamation, and misinformation.

Justice Omotosho had on Thursday sentenced Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of several terrorism-related charges. The judge delivered life sentences on counts carrying the death penalty but opted for leniency, noting his decision was influenced by his Christian faith. He also imposed additional prison terms—20 years for belonging to a proscribed group and five years for the importation of a radio transmitter—both to run concurrently.

Kanu was ordered to remain in protective custody outside Kuje Correctional Centre, with strict limits placed on his access to digital devices. The court also directed the forfeiture of the radio transmitter and noted that other seized items may be subject to further applications by the State Security Services.

Justice Omotosho criticised Kanu’s conduct throughout the trial, describing him as unruly and unremorseful, and said the evidence showed a continuing tendency toward violence.