After more than three years behind bars, Nnamdi Kanu isn’t giving up.
The IPOB leader has reached out to some of the world’s most powerful figures and organizations, asking them to help end what he calls his illegal detention.
In a petition that reads like a desperate plea for justice, Kanu has appealed to President Donald Trump, the African Union, and a long list of international bodies including the UK, Canada, Germany, France, the EU, Amnesty International, and the Red Cross. Hl
He’s casting a wide net, hoping someone will listen.
Kanu has been in Nigerian custody since June 2021, and he’s convinced the whole thing is a sham. He calls himself a “captive of the Nigerian State” and points to a legal roller coaster that would make anyone’s head spin.
Here’s what happened: In October 2022, Nigeria’s Court of Appeal actually ruled in his favor, saying his extraordinary rendition from Kenya was illegal and dismissing all charges against him.
Kanu should have walked free. But then came what he calls a legal curveball—the same court granted a “stay of execution” later that month, keeping him locked up.
The Supreme Court made things worse in December 2023, overturning the earlier ruling that had freed him.
Kanu didn’t mince words about this decision: “This decision is a barbaric and illegal act, wholly unknown to criminal law jurisprudence anywhere in the world.”
For over a year between October 2022 and December 2023, Kanu says he was held without any charges—something he argues violates Nigeria’s own constitution and international human rights laws.
But it’s not just Nigeria he’s angry with. As a British citizen, Kanu feels abandoned by the UK, accusing them of staying silent while he suffers. He believes their inaction has only made his situation worse.
The legal maze is complicated, but Kanu’s message to world leaders is simple: Nigeria needs to follow its own court ruling from October 2022 that freed him.
He’s asking for immediate intervention to secure his release, warning that his continued detention puts his life at risk.
Whether international pressure will make any difference remains to be seen. But for Kanu, reaching out to the global community might be his last hope for freedom.
“I respectfully request urgent intervention,” he wrote, “demanding that Nigeria comply with earlier court rulings and secure my immediate release.”
