What a Kenyan Judge Just Said About Nnamdi Kanu’s Abduction Will Shock You

The High Court of Kenya has declared the abduction and rendition of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 as unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional.

In a landmark ruling delivered on June 24, 2025, Justice E.C. Mwita also awarded Kshs 10 million (approximately ₦112 million) in general damages against the Government of Kenya.

The court held that Kanu’s arrest, detention, and forced transfer violated his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.

According to the judge, the Kenyan government had a duty to protect Kanu after he lawfully entered the country as a British citizen.

Justice Mwita ruled that Kanu was held incommunicado, tortured, denied food, medication, and chained before being flown to Nigeria without due process.

“The abduction and removal of Mr. Kanu from Kenya was in total violation of Kenya’s laws and Constitution,” the judge stated.

The court further declared that the Kenyan government is liable for the rights violations committed during the unlawful rendition.

The judge’s ruling faulted both the Kenyan and Nigerian governments for colluding in the act, which he described as a blatant abuse of legal process.

IPOB Reacts

Reacting to the verdict, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) described the judgement as a “judicial earthquake” and a “historic vindication.”

In a statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, the group hailed the ruling as a victory against state-sponsored international terrorism.

“This judgement confirms our position that what happened in Nairobi was not extradition, but extraordinary rendition,” the statement read.

IPOB praised Professor PLO Lumumba, who led Kanu’s legal team in Kenya, for his “fearless legal advocacy.”

The group also thanked Justice Mwita for resisting political and diplomatic pressure while delivering justice.

IPOB accused Nigeria’s past and present leaders, including Buhari, Tinubu, and Shettima, of trying to cover up the rendition.

“This verdict is a permanent legal stain on their records,” the group said.

The group vowed to launch an international accountability campaign to bring all those involved in the abduction to justice.

“Neither British silence nor diplomatic influence will stop what is coming,” IPOB warned.

Nnamdi Kanu remains in detention in Nigeria, where he faces charges related to his leadership of the Biafran independence movement.

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