The Federal High Court has dismissed as fake news a viral report claiming that Justice James Omotosho escaped an assassination attempt days after sentencing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment.
A report, circulated by a blogger on Facebook, alleged that the judge was rushed to the hospital on Saturday morning after unidentified assailants attacked him.
In a statement on Sunday, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Sulaiman Hassan, described the claim as baseless and aimed at misleading the public.
The rebuttal, titled “Rebuttal to False Publication by ‘Celebrity Blogger’ on the Alleged Assassination Attempt on Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court”, warned Nigerians against spreading the report.
The statement read, “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.
“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.”
Expressing concern about the motive behind the publication, Hassan urged security agencies to investigate and prosecute those behind the falsehood.
He said, “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.
“The goal is to identify and apprehend the perpetrators responsible for this false report and prosecute them in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly those relating to cybercrime, defamation, and public misinformation.”
Justice Omotosho had on Thursday sentenced Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment after convicting him on terrorism charges.
The judge commuted the death penalty attached to five of the seven counts, explaining that although the law empowered him to impose the maximum sentence, he opted for mercy.
“As a Christian, I chose to be merciful,” he said, citing Matthew 23:23.
Kanu was sentenced to life on counts one, two, four, five and six; 20 years without an option of fine on count three; and five years without an option of fine on count seven. The judge, however, directed that counts three and seven run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho also ordered that the IPOB leader be kept in protective custody outside Kuje Correctional Centre and barred him from accessing digital devices unless strictly monitored by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He directed that Kanu’s seized radio transmitter be forfeited to the Federal Government and noted that the DSS could file for forfeiture of other exhibits after the 90-day appeal window.
Describing Kanu as “unruly” and “not remorseful,” the judge said, “I have no hesitation to conclude that the defendant has a tendency of violence and it has not left him.”
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