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| IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu |
— ABUJA, Nigeria
Nigeria is facing increasing international and local pressure to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite his recent life sentence.
Kanu, a British-Nigerian activist who advocates for an independent Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria, was controversially rearrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria amid accusations of illegal rendition.
On November 20, 2025, Judge James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu on seven terrorism-related charges, including incitement to violence and leadership of an outlawed group. The judge sentenced him to life imprisonment for several charges (to be served concurrently), declining the prosecution's request for the death penalty in the interest of clemency. Kanu reacted angrily to the court and was dismissed before the verdict was announced.
The conviction stemmed from Kanu’s broadcasts and alleged directives through the IPOB, which authorities linked to attacks against security forces in the southeast since 2021. Kanu’s supporters argue that the charges were politically motivated, citing previous court rulings including a 2022 acquittal overturned by the Supreme Court and UN opinions that declared his detention arbitrary.
Locally, pressure has intensified from Igbo socio-cultural groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, southeastern legislators, and IPOB affiliates. Calls for amnesty or dismissal of the case highlight the perception of selective justice, especially amid reports of negotiations or releases of militants in other regions, such as bandits in the north.
In January 2026, Kanu's supporters and visitors in Sokoto Prison reported difficulties in preparing his appeal, including being denied access to electronic devices such as laptops, which hampered his ability to represent himself within the 90-day deadline. Protests and social media campaigns demanding his release continued, presenting his case as a symbol of Igbo marginalization.
Internationally, attention focused on Kanu's British citizenship and the extradition process. Appeals were filed against the UN, the UK, the US, the European Union, and others, alleging violations of international law. While some diplomatic concerns remained, as of early January 2026, Kanu was still being held in Sokoto Prison, with his appeal process ongoing amid logistical obstacles.
Analysts told Gazette Africa that political intervention, such as an amnesty, could help reduce tensions in the southeast, although the government has shown no immediate signs of backing down.