IPOB Urges Britain To Press Nigeria For Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal Hearing

IPOB Urges Britain to Press Nigeria for Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal Hearing

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the British Government to use its diplomatic channels to press the Nigerian Government to ensure that the pending appeal of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is heard without further delay. The group made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, expressing concern over the delay in hearing Kanu’s appeal against his conviction and life imprisonment sentence. IPOB called on British authorities to engage the Nigerian Government on the matter, insisting that concerns about due process, fundamental human rights and the administration of justice should receive urgent attention. The group also asked Britain to explain how its handling of Kanu’s case aligns with its stated commitment to assisting British citizens detained abroad when internationally accepted standards are allegedly not being met.

Kanu holds British citizenship and has remained in Nigerian custody following his conviction on terrorism-related charges in November 2025. In its statement, IPOB identified five major issues it wants the British Government to address in its diplomatic engagement with Nigeria. These include Kanu’s transfer from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021, the Court of Appeal’s judgment of October 13, 2022, his conviction in November 2025, the status of certain charges and the delay in hearing his appeal. On his transfer to Nigeria, IPOB described the incident as extraordinary rendition and cited Opinion No. 25/2022 of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which it said called for Kanu’s immediate release. The group also questioned the legal proceedings that followed the Court of Appeal’s 2022 judgment, arguing that the appellate court had discharged Kanu on specified counts. IPOB maintained that the issues surrounding the earlier judgment and subsequent prosecution required clarification through the judicial process. IPOB further challenged the legal foundation of Kanu’s conviction, arguing that the terrorism legislation under which the charges were brought had been repealed. The group cited Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that a person cannot be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty are prescribed in a written law. It questioned whether the relevant provisions of the applicable legislation supported the conviction and sentence imposed on its leader. The group also disputed the inclusion of charges it claimed had previously been discharged by the Court of Appeal, calling for the issues to be resolved by the appropriate courts. These arguments represent IPOB’s position on the case and remain subject to determination through the relevant legal proceedings. A central part of IPOB’s demand is that the Court of Appeal should list and hear Kanu’s appeal promptly. The group expressed concern that the appeal had not been heard despite the seriousness of the conviction and the questions it raised about the legal process. It urged the British Government to make diplomatic representations to Nigerian authorities to encourage a timely hearing, alongside related cases before the relevant courts. IPOB insisted that its request was not an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s judicial independence or ask Britain to dictate the outcome of the proceedings. Rather, the group said it wanted the British Government to use its diplomatic influence to encourage respect for due process and ensure that Kanu’s legal challenges were addressed without unnecessary delay. Kanu was convicted on terrorism-related charges in November 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja. His conviction followed years of legal proceedings connected to his leadership of IPOB, a separatist movement seeking the independence of Nigeria’s South-East region as Biafra. The Nigerian Government has pursued the case on national security and terrorism-related grounds, while Kanu and his supporters have consistently challenged aspects of his prosecution and detention. IPOB has now called on Britain to demonstrate its commitment to protecting its citizens abroad by pressing for a prompt hearing of the pending appeal. The outcome of the appeal is expected to be significant for Kanu’s legal future and the wider debate surrounding his detention.