The High Court of Kenya has ruled that the 2021 abduction and forced extradition of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu,...
The High Court of Kenya has ruled that the 2021 abduction and forced extradition of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by Kenyan and Nigerian authorities was illegal, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental rights.
In the landmark judgment delivered by Justice E.C. Mwita, the court held that Kanu’s seizure, incommunicado detention, and eventual removal to Nigeria were executed in blatant disregard of Kenyan law and international human rights norms.
“The government of Kenya violated the Constitution and Mr. Nnamdi Kanu’s rights and fundamental freedoms,” Justice Mwita declared.
“Having entered Kenya lawfully, he was subject to the protection of the Constitution of Kenya 2010. However, he was abducted, kept in solitary confinement, tortured, and forcibly removed from Kenya without following the law.”
The court further ordered the Kenyan government to pay Kanu KSh10 million (approximately $77,000 USD) in damages, acknowledging that the IPOB leader had been subjected to torture and denial of food, water, and medication during his illegal detention.
IPOB Hails Verdict, Vows Global Legal Battle
Reacting to the judgment, IPOB described it as a “judicial earthquake” and a long-overdue validation of their claims. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group said the ruling confirmed that Kanu was a victim of extraordinary rendition, not legal extradition.
“He was abducted in broad daylight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, chained, tortured, and flown illegally to Abuja without any extradition hearing or judicial warrant,” the group said.
IPOB condemned the actions of both the Nigerian and Kenyan governments, calling it a “state-sponsored act of international terrorism.”
They thanked renowned legal scholar, Professor PLO Lumumba, for his role as lead counsel in the legal battle and commended Justice Mwita’s “clarity, courage, and commitment to constitutional justice.”
A Permanent Legal Stain
The separatist group did not hold back in pointing fingers, saying the ruling has permanently stained the records of former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and former President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria.
IPOB also declared that the ruling is only the beginning of a broader global campaign:
“All those responsible, in Kenya, Nigeria, or elsewhere, shall be pursued to the ends of the earth under the universal principle of accountability for crimes against humanity.”
As of press time, neither the Nigerian nor Kenyan government has issued a formal response to the court ruling.
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