The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the British Government to use diplomatic channels to press Nigerian authorities to hear the pending appeal of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, without further delay.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group urged Britain to engage the Nigerian Government over the delay in Kanu’s appeal and related court cases.
IPOB questioned Britain’s response to Kanu’s legal situation, arguing that its policy of assisting British nationals detained abroad when internationally accepted standards are not met should guide its engagement with Nigeria.
The group asked the British Government to clarify how Kanu’s treatment aligns with international standards on legality, due process and fundamental human rights.
The group highlighted five issues: Kanu’s transfer from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021, the Court of Appeal’s judgment of October 13, 2022, his conviction in November 2025, the status of certain charges and the delay in hearing his appeal.
On his transfer, IPOB cited Opinion No. 25/2022 of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which it said called for Kanu’s immediate release.
It also questioned the proceedings that followed the Court of Appeal’s judgment, which discharged Kanu on specified counts.
The group challenged the legal basis of his conviction, arguing that the terrorism legislation underpinning the charges had been repealed. It cited Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, which states that a person cannot be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty are prescribed in written law.
IPOB further questioned the inclusion of counts it said had previously been discharged by the Court of Appeal, calling for clarification as the legal process continues.
IPOB urged Britain to make diplomatic representations to the Nigerian Government to ensure that Kanu’s appeal is heard promptly.
It maintained that such representations on due process, human rights and delays in judicial proceedings would not amount to interference in Nigeria’s judicial independence.
The group said it was not asking Britain to dictate the outcome of the case but to encourage the courts to hear the appeal and related matters without further delay.
Kanu was convicted on terrorism-related charges in November 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment. His legal team has challenged the conviction.
IPOB called on the British Government to demonstrate its commitment to protecting its citizens by seeking a timely hearing of the pending appeal.
