ABUJA, Nigeria — Human rights lawyer and Director of Legal Affairs, Research, and Global Communications for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Onyedikachi Ifedi, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to comply with a recent Kenyan High Court ruling that declared the abduction and extraordinary rendition of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as illegal.

 

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Ifedi described the landmark judgment as a “judicial indictment” of Nigeria’s handling of Kanu’s case and warned that failure to act in accordance with the ruling would further erode the country’s global reputation and threaten its internal stability.

 

“This ruling is not merely a vindication of Mazi Kanu’s long-standing position. It is a direct judicial indictment of the lawlessness that has characterized this case, exposing Nigeria to multiple counts of treaty violations and human rights abuses,” Ifedi said.

 

 

 

The Kenyan High Court had ruled that Kanu’s arrest, secret detention, and forcible transfer to Nigeria in June 2021 violated both Kenyan and Nigerian constitutional protections, as well as international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory. These include provisions guaranteeing liberty, due process, and the right to a fair hearing.

 

Ifedi urged the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Kanu is currently being tried under the supervision of Justice James Omotosho, to take judicial notice of the Kenyan ruling. He emphasized that the ruling has serious jurisdictional and legal implications for the ongoing trial.

 

Cites Nigerian and International Laws

 

The IPOB legal adviser cited Section 2(3)(f)(ii) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which defines the unlawful abduction of a person in violation of international law as an act of terrorism under Nigerian law.

 

“Any Nigerian official involved in the abduction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya has, by operation of Nigerian law, committed an act of terrorism,” he asserted.

 

 

 

He also pointed to Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which bars the expulsion or extradition of individuals without lawful judicial proceedings—a requirement he says was grossly ignored.

 

“This is a matter that transcends technical legal arguments. It is a desecration of constitutional norms and a betrayal of Nigeria’s international obligations,” Ifedi added.

 

 

 

Calls on Judiciary to Uphold the Rule of Law

 

Describing Kanu’s continued trial as a “trial built on illegality,” Ifedi urged the court to examine its own jurisdiction in light of the Kenyan ruling and Nigeria’s own anti-terrorism legislation.

 

“A court that closes its eyes to jurisdictional abuse loses moral and legal legitimacy,” he warned.

 

 

 

He further appealed to Justice Omotosho to uphold the principles of constitutional supremacy and judicial integrity, stressing that Nigeria’s democratic image and commitment to human rights are on the line.

 

“The judiciary must not lend itself to impunity. Nigeria’s global credibility depends on its willingness to respect both domestic and international court rulings grounded in law and justice,” he concluded.

 

 

 

The development has reignited debates over the legality of Kanu’s 2021 rendition, and whether it undermines the legitimacy of the charges against him. The Federal Government has yet to respond formally to the Kenyan ruling.