Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has petitioned 21 foreign governments and international organizations, urging them to intervene in what he described as his “unlawful detention” by the Nigerian government.
In the petition dated August 22, 2025, and signed from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja, Kanu declared himself a “prisoner of conscience” and accused the Nigerian judiciary of enabling political persecution through unconstitutional rulings.
The petition was addressed to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, the European Union, the Netherlands, Sweden, Amnesty International, the Red Cross, the African Union, ECOWAS Court, Kenya, South Africa, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Brazil, Israel, Finland, and Austria.
Kanu, who holds both Nigerian and British citizenship, argued that his detention since June 2021 violates domestic laws and international human rights treaties. He urged foreign governments to pressure Nigeria to respect judicial precedents and constitutional safeguards.
“The Supreme Court’s lawlessness, compounded by the Court of Appeal’s illegal stay of execution, undermines the rule of law, and I seek your assistance to restore justice,” Kanu wrote.
Legal Background
The IPOB leader recalled that on October 13, 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him, ruling that his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021 was unlawful. However, on October 28, 2022, the Nigerian government obtained a stay of execution on the ruling—a decision Kanu described as “alien to criminal jurisprudence.”
He said that between October 2022 and December 2023, he was detained without new charges for 14 months, in breach of the Nigerian Constitution and international conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
On December 15, 2023, the Supreme Court overturned his acquittal and ordered a retrial despite acknowledging the illegality of his rendition. Kanu argued this amounted to double jeopardy and judicial overreach.
Allegations Against Judiciary
Kanu accused both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of “political activism,” claiming their rulings undermined constitutional supremacy. He described Justice Haruna Tsammani’s approval of a stay of execution as “a barbaric assault on the rule of law.”
He also cited reports from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which he said documented systemic judicial bias against IPOB members.
Appeal to International Community
Kanu urged the UK to act, citing its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). He also called for Magnitsky-style sanctions against Nigerian officials complicit in what he termed “judicial lawlessness.”
Specifically, he asked foreign governments to:
- Demand enforcement of the October 13, 2022 Court of Appeal judgment discharging him.
- Condemn the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal rulings as violations of constitutional and international law.
- Hold the UK accountable for failing to protect its citizen.
- Escalate the case to international bodies such as the ECOWAS Court, the African Court, or the International Criminal Court if Nigeria refuses compliance.
“The Supreme Court’s December 15, 2023 reversal, compounded by the Court of Appeal’s illegal stay of execution, represents a systemic collapse of the rule of law in Nigeria,” Kanu stated. “Your urgent intervention is critical to halt my persecution, uphold constitutional governance, and prevent my possible death in custody.”
Background
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges of treasonable felony and granted bail in 2017. He fled Nigeria after a military raid on his residence but was re-arrested in June 2021 following his controversial rendition from Kenya. His ongoing trial has drawn global attention, with critics accusing the Nigerian government of disregarding court orders to keep him in detention.
