The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been in detention since June 2021, sparking widespread criticism and concern from human rights groups and diaspora organizations. Kanu was seized in Kenya and brought to Nigeria under controversial circumstances, leading to accusations of “extraordinary rendition”.
Despite multiple counts rulings ordering his release, including a 2022 Court of Appeal decision that declared his detention unlawful, Kanu remains in custody. The international community has condemned Kanu’s detention, with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declaring his detention unlawful and ordering his immediate release and reparations.
The group highlighted 16 international human rights covenants violated by Nigeria. Several organizations, including the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), have petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to impose Global Magnitsky sanctions on Nigerian judges involved in Kanu’s case, citing their role in enabling arbitrary detention and suppressing free speech.
Kanu’s family has also spoken out against his detention, accusing the British government of complicity in his illegal detention and trial. They demanded that the UK government publicly accept responsibility for its role in Kanu’s ordeal and demand his return to either Kenya or the UK.
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