Justice James Kolawole Omotosho
Federal High Court (FHC) has dismissed as outright falsehood a viral claim that Justice James Omotosho narrowly escaped an assassination attempt days after sentencing Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment.
The rumour, pushed out by a Facebook blogger on Saturday, alleged that the judge was attacked in the early hours of the morning and rushed to a hospital while security operatives cordoned off the area.
But in a strongly worded statement issued Sunday, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Sulaiman Hassan, said the story was fabricated and should be ignored.
Under the heading “Rebuttal to False Publication by ‘Celebrity Blogger’ on the Alleged Assassination Attempt on Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court,” the court made its position clear.
“The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to a publication by CELEBRITY BLOGGER, alleging that the Honourable Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, survived an assassination attempt following the life sentence imposed on Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement said. “We hereby firmly and unequivocally declare that the said report is completely false and unfounded. The public is advised to treat this publication as fake news and refrain from further dissemination to prevent the spread of misinformation.”
Hassan urged security agencies to step in, investigate the post, and bring those behind it to justice.
“Given the gravity of the report, which has the potential to cause panic and undermine confidence in the judicial system—possibly intended as a form of intimidation—we call on the relevant security agencies and regulatory authorities to conduct a thorough investigation,” he added, insisting that the culprits be prosecuted under cybercrime, defamation and misinformation laws.
The controversy comes just days after Justice Omotosho delivered a landmark judgment on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
On Thursday, the judge commuted Kanu’s death sentence to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on five terrorism-related counts. He imposed 20 years for belonging to a proscribed group and five years for unlawfully importing a radio transmitter—both without an option of fine. To temper justice with mercy, he ruled that the lesser sentences would run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho, who noted Kanu’s “unruly behaviours” throughout the trial, stressed that the law empowered him to impose the death penalty but said, “as a Christian,” he chose to be merciful, citing Matthew 23:23. He also took into account the plea made by Rep. Obi Aguocha on behalf of the defendant.
He ordered that Kanu be held in protective custody outside Kuje Correctional Centre and barred him from using digital devices unless monitored by the Office of the National Security Adviser. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the radio transmitter and directed the DSS to file for forfeiture of other exhibits after the 90-day appeal window.
“I have no hesitation to conclude that the defendant has tendency of violence and it has not left him,” Justice Omotosho said while delivering the judgment.
