The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have urged Nigerian authorities to re-examine the trial of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, following a recent ruling by the High Court of Kenya.
In a statement released Sunday and signed by Barrister Onyedikachi Ifedi, IPOB’s Director of Legal Affairs, the group praised the Kenyan judgment as significant and insisted it should prompt a fresh review of the legal proceedings in Nigeria.
The High Court of Kenya ruled that Kanu’s abduction and transfer from Nairobi to Abuja in 2021 violated both constitutional protections and international law, citing the absence of a formal extradition hearing .
IPOB argued that this oversight raises serious jurisdictional concerns for the Federal High Court’s ongoing trial in Abuja.
The group referenced Section 2(3)(f)(ii) of Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, highlighting that “unlawful cross-border transfers in violation of treaties” constitute serious offenses.
They also cited Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which states no person legally residing in a country may be expelled except through a legal process.
“This is not about political considerations but about upholding constitutional safeguards and respecting international legal obligations,” the IPOB statement read.
Barrister Ifedi urged Justice James Omotosho, presiding over the Abuja trial, to invite submissions from both parties on how the Kenyan ruling should influence the case.
IPOB also emphasized the need to review previous court decisions concerning Kanu’s detention such as the ruling from the Federal High Court in Umuahia, and called for diplomatic and legal engagement with relevant international partners.
Kanu has been detained and on trial since mid-2021.
The Kenyan court’s recent decision, which addresses the legality and process of his arrest and transfer, injects a fresh legal dimension into the already contentious proceedings in Nigeria.
