A High Court in Nairobi, Kenya has declared the 2021 abduction and rendition of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria as illegal and unconstitutional, awarding him 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately ₦120 million) in damages.

In the landmark judgment delivered on June 24, 2025, Justice E.C. Mwita ruled that the actions of both Kenyan and Nigerian governments constituted gross violations of Kanu's fundamental human rights as protected by their respective constitutions.

Court Findings and Declarations

"The government of Kenya violated the Constitution and Mr. Nnamdi Kanu's rights and fundamental freedoms. Having entered Kenya lawfully, he was subject to the protection offered by the Constitution of Kenya 2010," Justice Mwita stated in his ruling.

The court found that Kanu was "abducted, kept in solitude confinement, tortured and denied food and medication" while in Kenya. He was also reportedly "chained, humiliated, ridiculed and held in contempt" before being forcibly removed from Kenya without following proper legal procedures.

The judge issued several declarations, including that the abduction and forcible removal of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria violated Kenyan laws and the IPOB leader's constitutional rights, particularly his freedom of movement and security of person.

IPOB's Response to the Judgment

The Indigenous People of Biafra has hailed the judgment as a "resounding judicial earthquake" that vindicates their position on what they described as a "sham and farcical trial" of their leader in Nigeria.

In a statement, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful expressed gratitude to Professor PLO Lumumba, lead counsel in the Kenyan litigation, and to Justice E.C. Mwita for "standing tall against ferocious political interference and international diplomatic pressure."

"This judgement vindicates our consistent position that what transpired in Nairobi in June 2021 was not extradition but extraordinary rendition — a criminal act of state-sponsored international terrorism involving the highest authorities of the Nigerian and Kenyan governments," the statement read.

IPOB further claimed that Kanu "did not commit any crime in Kenya" and that he "entered Kenya lawfully as a British citizen" before being "abducted in broad daylight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by agents of Nigeria's secret police in collusion with rogue elements of the Kenyan security apparatus."

Background and Implications

Nnamdi Kanu, who leads the separatist group advocating for an independent state of Biafra in southeastern Nigeria, was reportedly abducted in Kenya in June 2021 and subsequently rendered to Nigeria, where he has remained in detention facing various charges.

The IPOB statement indicated that this ruling marks "the beginning of a global accountability campaign" against those responsible for Kanu's rendition, suggesting potential further legal actions against officials in both Kenya and Nigeria.

The judgment could have significant implications for Kanu's ongoing trial in Nigeria and might strengthen calls for his release, given the court's finding that his transfer to Nigeria was illegal under international law.

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