The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has officially submitted a strongly worded petition to world leaders and international organizations, calling for their immediate intervention in what he has described as his unlawful and politically motivated detention by the Nigerian government. In the lengthy document, which was made public through the media, Kanu specifically appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, the African Union (AU), and several other powerful global institutions, seeking their urgent assistance to secure his release.
Beyond his direct plea to the U.S. and the AU, the IPOB leader extended his appeal to a wide range of international powers and humanitarian organizations. These include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, the European Union, Amnesty International, the Red Cross, the ECOWAS Court, Kenya, South Africa, Israel, Japan, and more than a dozen other states and global bodies. According to Kanu, only strong pressure from the international community can compel Nigeria to obey its own laws and international obligations with respect to his detention.
Kanu, who has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, insisted that his continuous imprisonment is not only illegal under Nigerian law but also violates universally recognized human rights principles. He argued that his extraordinary rendition from Kenya was an unlawful act that the Court of Appeal had already declared null and void in its ruling of October 13, 2022, when it discharged and acquitted him of all charges. He maintained that this judgment should have led to his immediate release.
However, Kanu pointed out that on October 28, 2022, the Court of Appeal controversially granted what he described as an “illegal stay of execution,” a move which directly contradicted established criminal law practices across the world. This, according to him, gave the Nigerian government the leverage to continue holding him without legal justification. He further faulted the Supreme Court’s decision of December 15, 2023, which overturned his earlier acquittal, branding it an unconstitutional ruling that amounted to double jeopardy and judicial persecution.
“This decision is a barbaric and illegal act, wholly unknown to criminal law jurisprudence anywhere in the world. It constitutes constitutional criminality of the highest order, exhibiting a shocking lack of fidelity to the Nigerian Constitution,” Kanu stated, citing legal authorities that specifically prohibit stays of execution in criminal trials. He emphasized that between October 2022 and December 2023, he was unlawfully detained without charges, in direct violation of Section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
In his petition, Kanu condemned what he called the “reckless lawlessness” of the Nigerian judiciary, accusing it of being deeply influenced by political bias. He reminded the global community that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights had previously documented systemic discrimination and persecution against IPOB members, which he said now reflects in his personal ordeal. He also criticized the United Kingdom, accusing his home country of betraying him despite his British citizenship, alleging that the UK’s silence and inaction had emboldened Nigeria to prolong his detention.
As part of his demands, Kanu called on world leaders to pressure the Nigerian government to comply with established rulings and constitutional provisions. He specifically asked that Nigeria be compelled to retroactively enforce the Court of Appeal’s October 13, 2022, judgment that discharged him, to declare the October 28, 2022 stay of execution illegal, and to immediately release him from what he described as unlawful captivity. He referenced legal precedents such as Abacha v. State and Ejiofor v. FRN to support his arguments.
Kanu concluded his petition with a grave warning, stating that his prolonged incarceration poses serious risks to his health and life. He described his situation as “persecution sustained through judicial lawlessness” and stressed that only immediate international intervention could prevent irreversible harm. According to him, his case represents not just a personal battle for freedom but also a broader fight for justice, human rights, and the rule of law in Nigeria. He urged the global powers he petitioned to act without delay to protect constitutional order and restore his fundamental rights.