NNAMDI KANU: IPOB SEEKS UK INTERVENTION OVER DELAYED APPEAL

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the British Government to use diplomatic channels to urge Nigeria to hear the pending appeal of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, without further delay.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group urged the UK government to engage Nigerian authorities over the delay in hearing Kanu’s appeal and other related cases.

IPOB questioned Britain’s response to Kanu’s legal situation, arguing that the country’s stated policy of assisting British nationals detained abroad when internationally accepted standards are not met should guide its engagement with Nigeria.

The group also asked the British Government to explain how Kanu’s treatment aligns with international standards on legality, due process and fundamental human rights.

IPOB outlined five major concerns, including Kanu’s rendition 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.

Regarding his rendition, the group 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 subsequent legal proceedings against him in view of the Court of Appeal’s judgment, which discharged him on specified counts.

The group further challenged the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction, arguing that the terrorism legislation under which the charges were brought had been repealed.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 a written law.

IPOB also questioned the inclusion of charges it said had previously been dismissed by the Court of Appeal, insisting that the issues required clarification through the ongoing legal process.

On the delayed appeal, the group urged Britain to make formal representations to the Nigerian Government to ensure the case is heard promptly.

IPOB maintained that diplomatic engagement on due process, human rights and delays in judicial proceedings would not constitute interference in Nigeria’s judicial independence.

The group said it was not asking Britain to dictate the outcome of the case but to use its diplomatic influence to encourage a timely hearing of Kanu’s appeal.

It called on the British Government to press Nigeria to schedule and hear the appeal, alongside related cases before the relevant courts, 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 urged the British Government to demonstrate its commitment to protecting its citizens by seeking a prompt hearing of the pending appeal.