The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have welcomed a pivotal judgment from the High Court of Kenya, which declared the 2021 arrest and transfer of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria as unlawful and unconstitutional.
In the ruling delivered on June 24, 2025, Justice E.C. Mwita sharply criticized the actions of both the Kenyan and Nigerian governments, stating that Kanu’s fundamental rights were grossly violated. The court awarded Kanu KSh10 million in damages for the breaches of his constitutional protections.
According to the judgment, Kanu had entered Kenya legally and was entitled to protection under the country’s 2010 Constitution. Justice Mwita noted that Kanu was abducted, held in solitary confinement, tortured, and forcefully transported to Nigeria without due legal process. The court described these acts as serious violations of both Kenyan law and international human rights standards.
The IPOB, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described the ruling as a “judicial earthquake” that confirms its long-held claims about the illegality of Kanu’s rendition. The group condemned the incident as a “state-sponsored act of international terrorism” carried out through the collaboration of Kenyan and Nigerian security agencies.
IPOB further clarified that Kanu was not extradited through any lawful process but was instead subjected to “extraordinary rendition.” They allege he was abducted in broad daylight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, shackled, tortured, and transported to Nigeria without a court order or extradition hearing.
The group praised the legal team led by Professor PLO Lumumba and commended Justice Mwita for what they described as a bold and principled decision. They also accused former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria of playing central roles in the illegal transfer, calling the verdict a permanent stain on their records.
Following the judgment, IPOB outlined its next steps, which include launching an international campaign to hold all involved parties accountable. “Whether in Kenya, Nigeria, or elsewhere, those responsible will be pursued under the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity,” the statement said.
IPOB also called for transparency and fairness in any legal proceedings involving their leader and reiterated its demand for international scrutiny moving forward.
