The Concerned Citizens of Igbo Nation in Diaspora (CCIND) has urged the United States to impose sanctions on Nigeria over the continued detention and trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emeka Livingstone, the group accused the Nigerian government of violating international law and ignoring multiple court rulings that ordered Kanu’s release.
“The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is a prisoner of conscience.
Every conscientious world leader and democratic government must exercise their influence on the Nigerian government to let him go without condition,” CCIND stated.
Kanu was seized in Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances and transferred to Nigeria, a process widely described as “extraordinary rendition.”
Rights groups say he was tortured for several days before being handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja, where he has remained in detention.
In October 2022, Nigeria’s Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him, ruling his trial unlawful. However, the government has refused to release him, arguing that his case is still pending.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that a Kenyan High Court in June 2025 also declared his abduction and transfer to Nigeria illegal, awarding him 10 million Kenyan shillings in damages.
The CCIND statement comes amid growing international criticism of Nigeria’s handling of Kanu’s case.
The group highlighted a Canadian Federal Court ruling in August 2025 that designated Nigeria’s two main political parties the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as terrorist organizations.
The ruling implicated Nigerian politicians in election violence, intimidation, and malpractice, particularly during the 2023 presidential election that brought President Bola Tinubu to power.
“This was also evident in the rigged 2023 election that brought Bola Ahmed Tinubu into office,” CCIND alleged, arguing that Nigeria now operates as a “terrorism-friendly government.”
The diaspora group appealed directly to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, urging Washington to:
Re-designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) on religious freedom and human rights.
Compel the Nigerian government to immediately release Kanu and all detained IPOB members.
Investigate Nigerian officials named in the Canadian court ruling and impose sanctions, including travel bans, economic restrictions, and possible arrest warrants.
Facilitate an internationally supervised referendum for southeastern Nigerians to decide on independence.
Analysts warn that Kanu’s prolonged detention, combined with the international legal rulings against Nigeria, could complicate Abuja’s diplomatic relations with key Western partners.
IPOB, which seeks independence for the Southeast, was designated a terrorist group by the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, a classification that IPOB and diaspora groups reject as politically motivated.
CCIND insisted Kanu’s detention represents a wider assault on civil liberties. “Nigeria should be treated as a sponsor of terrorism by any democratic country that values rule of law and human rights,” the group concluded.
