A High Court sitting in Nairobi, Kenya, has declared the abduction and extradition of Biafra separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 as illegal and unconstitutional.
In a landmark ruling delivered on June 24, 2025, Justice E.C. Mwita held that Kanu’s rendition violated both Kenyan and international law, as well as the fundamental human rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Kenya.
The court awarded Kanu 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately ₦119 million) in general damages, to be paid by the Kenyan government for its role in the “unlawful abduction and forced transfer.”
According to the 13-page judgment, Justice Mwita found that Kanu, having lawfully entered Kenya, was entitled to the full protection of the law.
The court noted that he was abducted, detained in solitary confinement, tortured, denied medical attention, and ultimately removed from Kenya without due legal process.
“The abduction, detention, and subsequent forcible removal of Mr. Nwannekaenvi Nnamdi Kenny Okwu Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria was in violation of the laws of Kenya and his fundamental freedoms, and therefore, unconstitutional and illegal,” the court ruled.
The judgement has sparked reactions both in Kenya and Nigeria, particularly from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who described the ruling as a “judicial earthquake.”
In a statement signed by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group hailed the court’s decision as a vindication of its long-standing claim that Kanu was subjected to extraordinary rendition, not lawful extradition.
“This judgment vindicates our consistent position… it was a criminal act of state-sponsored international terrorism involving the highest authorities of the Nigerian and Kenyan governments,” the group stated.
IPOB commended the legal efforts of renowned Kenyan lawyer, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, and praised Justice Mwita for resisting political interference.
The group also issued a strong warning to individuals it accused of involvement in the operation, naming former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and current leaders Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, accusing them of attempts to influence the case.
The ruling is expected to add pressure on Nigerian authorities over Kanu’s continued detention.
It may also have wider implications for diplomatic relations and the legal principles surrounding extradition and international human rights enforcement.
