A High Court in Nairobi has declared the 2021 abduction and forced transfer of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from Kenya to Nigeria as unlawful. Justice E.C. Mwita ruled that both the Kenyan and Nigerian governments violated Kanu’s fundamental rights under Kenyan and international law.
The court awarded Kanu 10 million Kenyan shillings (approx. ₦120 million) in damages, holding the Kenyan government accountable for his illegal detention, torture, and unlawful rendition. Justice Mwita stated that Kanu, who entered Kenya legally, was subjected to inhumane treatment—including solitary confinement, denial of food and medication, and forced removal without due process.
IPOB hailed the verdict as a landmark victory, calling it a vindication of their claims that Kanu’s arrest and trial in Nigeria were unjust. The group credited Kenyan lawyer Prof. PLO Lumumba and the judiciary for resisting political pressure to deliver the ruling.
The judgment also implicates former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nigeria’s ex-leaders Muhammadu Buhari and Abubakar Malami in the illegal rendition. IPOB vowed to pursue further legal action globally, warning that those involved in "state-sponsored terrorism" would face accountability.
This ruling marks a significant legal blow to both governments, reinforcing the principle that cross-border human rights violations will not go unpunished.
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