Life imprisonment: Which options dey for Nnamdi Kanu?

Many reactions still dey come afta di leader of di indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, chop life imprisonment sentence by di federal high court for Abuja on Thursday.

Justice James Omotosho wey preside ova di trial rule say Kanu na terrorist true-true, and say im violent actions no dey consistent wit di claim say e be freedom fighter.

Dis case wey start almost ten years ago come to conclusion on Thursday, or at least for now, as Kanu lawyers say dem dey go appeal court.

But wetin be di options wey dey open for Kanu, legally, and wetin be di reactions from di southeast region and across Nigeria?

Go to Court of Appeal

Afta di judgement and sentencing of Kanu on Thursday, one of im lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor tell tori pipo say "dis judgement na aberration" and e no dey consistent wit di allegations against Kanu.

"Di judgement no dey based on law… and by God almighty we no go allow am. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu no be terrorist, im na man wey dey pursue change, and to pursue separate nation of your own no be crime," Ejimakor tok.

"Di Court of Appeal na di nex court for dia kontri wey sit as jury. We go approach di justices dia to check out wetin happen for court today, and we dey very sure say di justices go agree wit us say today na di symbol of di travesty of justice wey evribodi bin don dey suspect all along.

"If di Court of Appeal disagree wit us, we go to di Supreme Court but Mazi Nnamdi Kanu no go stand convicted, di sentence go dey overturned."

According to legal procedure for Nigeria, na 90 days window dey, from di day of judgement, for di party wey no gree to file an appeal.

Also, Nnamdi Kanu wife, Uchechi-Okwu Kanu, post one message for her X handle wia she imply say dem go appeal di judgement.

She claim say di trial judge no follow di law, e no folo di constitution and e no folo due process.

"Di judgment dey worthless. E dey illegal. E no go fit survive appeal," she tok, and add say di judge imsef fit chop disciplinary action.

Barr Edward Ogah, anoda legal practitioner wey follow BBC News Pidgin tok for dis mata agree say di next beta option for di convicted Ipob leader na "to go on appeal or serve out im sentence".

Ogah first of all kwesion why Kanu bin withdraw im lawyers from di mata and say e go defend imsef for ogbonge criminal mata like dis.

"If Kanu decide to go to appeal court, shey im go also defend imsef, abi e go reinstate im lawyers, abi e go engage new counsels?" Ogah ask.

Political solution

Since di trial of Nnamdi Kanu start, many top pipo from di Southeast region of Nigeria do suggest say di mata na political mata and na political solution e require.

Govnors, lawmakers and top govment appointees for di federal level don all suggest say e go require round table discussion to find a solution not just about Nnamdi Kanu, but di entire tok-tok of Biafra independence.

Afta di judgement on Thursday, di Deputy Speaker of di House of Representatives for Nigeria, Benjamin Kalu - who also come from Abia State like Nnamdi Kanu - issue a statement and say "all hope no dey lost" bicos dem wey be elites for guvment still dey pursue political situation "to ultimately secure Kanu release".

For di statement wey im tok-tok pesin Levinus Nwabughiogu sign, Kanu say im get confidence say President Bola Tinubu go listen to di pleas of well-meaning Igbo leaders for dis matter and e no go overlook am.

Dis na di same tin wey Barr Felix Jonathan, Secretary General of di Association of Igbo lawyers, bin don tell BBC News Pidgin for separate interview as e tok say:"I believe President (Ahmed) Tinubu wan take di applause as di one wey pardon Kanu. I know say e no go kill am."

Howeva, even dat option dey very slim, according to Barr Edward Ogah.

"Di issue of pardon na di exclusive prerogative of only di President. E no get any guarantee say e go happen. And e get tins wey di president go consider bifor e fit decide on weda to grant pardon," Ogah tok.

Rememba say leaders from the Igbo ethnic group bin don make a similar move in 2021 wen dem visit President Muhammadu Buhari dat time to beg for di release of Nnamdi Kanu.

Buhri bin tell dem say di request "dey heavy" but im go consider am. Notin come out of dat visit until Buhari comot fo office.

Wia Kanu go serve im life sentence?

As e be now, e neva dey clear wich prison facility wia Nnamdi Kanu go serve im sentence, wetin dey clear be say e no be for Kuje prison,

For di hearing on Thursday, di counsel to di Nigeria govment, Adegboyega Awomolo, ask di court to put Kanu "for di safest correctional facility for di kontri.

Awomolo say recent events don show say di Kuje prison for di Federal Capital Territory, no dey safe enuf as jailbreaks do happen dia more dan once.

E tok say Kanu get enemies and e also get friends so e go good to keep am wia e go dey safe.

Also Justice Omotosho also agree say Kuje prison no go dey appropriate to put Kanu, pointing out say "di convict still get violent tendencies" for im body.

Even for inside prison, di judge order say make dem put Kanu for "protective custody" sake of im violent nature. E also order make dem no gree di Ipob leader to near any digital gadget wey dey use internet, so dat e no go fit continue im secessionist propaganda from inside jail.