• High Court in Nairobi rules Kanu’s 2021 arrest and rendition from Kenya to Nigeria unlawful
• Judge says Kenya violated local and international law by detaining and torturing the IPOB leader
• Court awards ₦120 million damages as IPOB vows global campaign for accountability
In a major legal blow to Nigeria’s handling of separatist leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the High Court of Kenya has declared his abduction and forced rendition in 2021 as illegal, unconstitutional, and in clear violation of human rights and international law.
Presiding judge, Justice E.C. Mwita, on Monday ruled in Nairobi that the Kenyan government’s actions breached Mr. Kanu’s fundamental rights, including protection against unlawful arrest and detention.
The court found that Mr. Kanu, who had entered Kenya lawfully, was detained without due process, kept in solitary confinement, tortured, and denied basic needs such as food and medication.
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Justice Mwita held that the Nigerian-born British citizen was “abducted, humiliated, and unlawfully removed from Kenya,” contrary to the provisions of the Kenyan Constitution and international protocols on extradition.
The court awarded Kanu ten million Kenyan shillings (about ₦120 million) in general damages, to be paid by the Government of Kenya through its Office of the Attorney General.
The ruling has been hailed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a major victory. The group, which remains banned in Nigeria, described the judgment as a “judicial earthquake” and a clear confirmation that extraordinary rendition—not legal extradition—was used to bring Kanu back to Nigeria.
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In a statement signed by IPOB spokesperson, Mr. Emma Powerful, the group praised Professor PLO Lumumba, who led the legal challenge, and condemned former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Uhuru Kenyatta, as well as former Attorney General Mr. Abubakar Malami, for their alleged roles in the illegal operation.
“This verdict exposes the criminal collusion between two African governments and marks the beginning of our global accountability campaign. Everyone involved, past and present, will be pursued under international law,” IPOB said.
Kanu was reportedly picked up in June 2021 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, and flown into Nigeria under secretive circumstances that sparked international outrage. Human rights groups across the globe questioned the legality of the move and warned it could amount to state-sponsored terrorism.
The group also criticised the British government for what it called “cowardly silence” despite Kanu’s citizenship and the implications of his rights being violated abroad.
“This is a warning to tyrants: international borders will no longer protect criminal regimes,” IPOB stated.
