A Nairobi High Court has deemed the abduction, secret detention, and forced transfer of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 as unconstitutional, illegal, and a blatant violation of his fundamental rights. The court has ordered the Kenyan government to compensate Kanu with KES 10 million (approximately ₦119.5 million) for the abuses he suffered.
Key Findings by Justice E.C. Mwita:
Kenya breached its own Constitution (2010), violating Kanu’s rights, including his entitlement to freedom of movement and personal security.
Kanu, who had entered the country lawfully, was unlawfully apprehended at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. He was held in solitary confinement, shackled, deprived of food, water, medical care, and subjected to torture and degradation before being clandestinely airlifted to Nigeria without legal due process.
The court concluded both Kenyan and Nigerian authorities were complicit. It branded the entire operation as a serious breach of constitutional and international law.
Court Orders and Declarations:
1. A formal declaration that Kanu’s arrest, detention, maltreatment, and forced transfer were unconstitutional and violated his rights.
2. A declaration confirming the abduction and removal of Kanu from Kenyan territory breached his freedom of movement, his security, and other basic constitutional protections.
3. Compensation of KES 10 million (about ₦119.5 million) awarded to Kanu from the Kenyan government, acknowledging the tangible and intangible harm caused by these rights violations.
According to Justice Mwita, this compensation underlines that “rights have value” and reinforces the principle that constitutional rights require robust legal remedies.
IPOB Response:
IPOB hailed the ruling as a “judicial earthquake” and a total vindication of their stance that Kanu was subjected to a state-sponsored “extraordinary rendition.” In a statement dated June 24, 2025, spokesperson Emma Powerful praised the court’s determination, affirming that Kenyan and Nigerian authorities had orchestrated a covert operation devoid of legal justification. The group expressed gratitude to lead counsel Professor PLO Lumumba and commended Justice Mwita for demonstrating exceptional judicial courage.
IPOB further asserted it marks the beginning of a global drive for accountability, insisting that all officials responsible—from both Kenya and Nigeria—should face international and diplomatic consequences for their actions.
