The Federal High Court has dismissed as false a viral social media report alleging that Justice James Omotosho survived an assassination attempt following his life-imprisonment sentence on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
A Facebook blogger had claimed that gunmen attacked the judge at his residence in the early hours of Saturday, forcing security operatives to rush him to a hospital for emergency treatment.
The post, which circulated widely across several platforms, linked the purported attack to the judge’s ruling that commuted Kanu’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
But the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Sulaiman Hassan, in a strongly worded statement on Sunday, described the claim as “entirely false, irresponsible, and aimed at causing panic.”
The statement, titled “Rebuttal to False Publication by ‘Celebrity Blogger’ on the Alleged Assassination Attempt on Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court,” said the judiciary had verified that no such attack occurred.
“The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to a publication by CELEBRITY BLOGGER, alleging that the Honourable Justice James Omotosho survived an assassination attempt following the life sentence imposed on Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read.
“We 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 investigate the originators of the story and prosecute them under cybercrime and defamation laws, noting that such fabrications could undermine public trust in the judiciary.
“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 relevant security agencies and regulatory authorities to conduct a thorough investigation,” he added.
The judge had on Thursday found Kanu guilty on seven terrorism-related charges. He sentenced him to life imprisonment on counts one, two, four, five and six, all of which carried the death penalty under Nigerian law.
Kanu also received a 20-year term for belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation and five years for unlawfully importing a radio transmitter used for Radio Biafra broadcasts. Both sentences will run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho, who criticised what he described as the defendant’s “unruly and violent tendencies,” said he opted for a lesser sentence “as an act of mercy,” citing Matthew 23:23 of the Bible.
He also ordered that Kanu be held in protective custody away from Kuje Correctional Centre and be barred from using digital devices unless closely monitored by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The Department of State Services was granted leave to seek forfeiture of certain exhibits recovered from Kanu after a 90-day appeal window.
The court warned that sensational claims about the judiciary, especially those capable of inciting public unrest, would no longer be tolerated.
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