N'onwa May 1995, Anyanwu deputara ma biputa akuko gbasara mnwepu mberede a choro i nwepu gomenti onye isi ala Naijiria Sani Abacha, onye nke o kwadoghi ka onye isi ala. Ya na ndi otu ya, ndi ochu nta na mgbasa akuko ozo whom she had refused to endorse as president; she and several Nigerian journalists were accused of being ""accessory after the fact of treason"". Anyanwu was prosecuted in camera by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 July 1995, later reduced to 15 years in October 1995 following pressure from national and international human rights groups. While being held in Gombe prison, she went partially blind. Doctors warned that she was in danger of losing her sight completely if she failed to receive medical attention.