IPOB lawyer condemns Kanu’s trial after Kenyan court rules abduction violated international law.
ABUJA, Nigeria (June 30, 2025) —Following the recent Kenya court ruling, The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) legal director, Barrister Onyedikachi Ifedi, has condemned the ongoing Nnamdi Kanu trial in Nigeria, describing it as a national disgrace.
His statement aligns with the Kenya High Court ruling that declared Kanu’s abduction from Nairobi illegal and a violation of international law.
Kenya Court ruling on illegal rendition
On June 24, the Nairobi High Court found that Kanu’s abduction, detention, and transfer to Nigeria occurred without any formal extradition process as required by law.
The court ruled that these actions violated Kanu’s fundamental rights, awarding him 10 million Kenyan shillings in compensation.
This ruling highlighted that Kanu had entered Kenya legally and was taken without judicial authorization. Details of the ruling are available on Punch Nigeria.
Legal implications for the Nigerian trial
Barrister Ifedi described the Kenyan judgment as a “direct judicial indictment” of Nigeria’s handling of the case. He urged the Nigerian Federal High Court in Abuja to consider the ruling’s implications on jurisdiction and legality. According to him, Section 2(3)(f)(ii) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 clearly defines unlawful abduction as an act of terrorism. He stated:
“An act which deliberately … by unlawfully seizing, kidnapping or abducting any person … shall be regarded as an act of terrorism.”
Ifedi argued that any Nigerian official involved in Kanu’s rendition has therefore committed terrorism under Nigerian law.
Jurisdiction and treaty obligations
The lawyer emphasized that Nigeria is bound by international treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which prohibits expulsion without legal process.
He criticized the Nigerian government for ignoring these obligations and called on Justice James Omotosho to suspend the trial and address the Kenyan court’s findings. More background on the legal framework can be found on Vanguard Nigeria.
Broader legal and diplomatic consequences
Legal analysts predict that the Kenyan verdict may escalate international pressure on Nigeria, possibly leading to challenges in courts beyond Nigeria’s borders.
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IPOB demands a halt to all trial proceedings until due process is respected, warning that continuing the trial disregards both Nigerian constitutional law and international legal standards.
