Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has declared that he will not participate in any trial conducted by a court lacking constitutional jurisdiction. He accused both the executive and the judiciary of colluding against him since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021.
In an open letter he personally signed, Kanu stated:
“I will not succumb to any trial conducted by any judge or court whose jurisdiction does not pass constitutional muster. Not now, not ever. If it takes the rest of my life in detention to be brought before a proper and impartial court, so be it.”
Claims of Judicial Manipulation
Kanu detailed a series of alleged legal manipulations against him, citing a 2017 Federal High Court ruling that declared IPOB a lawful organization. He argued that rather than appealing the judgment as required by law, the then Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, and the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, orchestrated the proscription of IPOB through an ex parte order obtained without his knowledge.
He described this move as “an unholy and fraudulent alliance” between the government and judiciary, aimed at undermining his rights and the broader self-determination movement.
Violation of Rights and Court Orders
Kanu also referenced a 2022 Federal High Court ruling that deemed his rendition and detention unconstitutional, ordering the government to compensate and apologize to him. He lamented that despite this judgment, the government continued to detain him and refused to engage constructively on the issue of Biafra’s self-determination.
He further cited an October 2022 Court of Appeal judgment, which ruled that his extradition violated both national and international laws, thereby stripping Nigerian courts of jurisdiction to try him. However, he accused the government of pressuring the judiciary to overturn the ruling through “a fraudulent stay of execution” orchestrated by three Appeal Court justices.
“Is it not abominable for a court to stay a judgment the government has already disobeyed?” he questioned, adding that the Supreme Court has previously ruled against granting judicial relief to those who defy court orders.
Call for Judicial Fairness
Kanu recounted his decision in 2023 to request that the judge handling his case recuse herself due to alleged bias. However, rather than challenge the decision through legal channels, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court reportedly instructed the same judge to proceed with the case.
Reaffirming his stance, Kanu stated that he would rather remain in detention than participate in a trial conducted by a court that lacks proper jurisdiction.
His declaration intensifies the legal and political standoff surrounding his case, as calls for his release continue to resonate among his supporters and international human rights organizations.
