Justice Mwita Rules IPOB Leader’s 2021 Seizure as “Unconstitutional, Inhumane, and a Violation of Human Rights”
In a landmark judgment delivered on June 24, 2025, the High Court of Kenya in Nairobi has declared the abduction, detention, and subsequent extradition of Biafra agitator, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to Nigeria as illegal, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.
Presiding judge, Justice E.C. Mwita, ruled that the controversial 2021 rendition was orchestrated in breach of Kenyan and international law, holding both the Kenyan and Nigerian governments responsible for the human rights abuses committed during the operation.
The 13-page judgment condemned the Kenyan government’s role in the saga and ordered it to pay Kanu general damages amounting to 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately ₦119.5 million). Justice Mwita stated that the IPOB leader, who entered Kenya lawfully as a British citizen, was abducted, detained incommunicado, tortured, and forcibly removed from the country without due legal process.
“Mr. Nnamdi Kanu was chained, humiliated, ridiculed, and forcibly transported to Nigeria without any extradition hearing or court order. This is a clear violation of the Constitution of Kenya and international law,” Justice Mwita declared.
The court’s ruling stated unequivocally that Kanu’s rights to personal liberty, dignity, and freedom from torture were violated. The judge further issued formal declarations affirming that the abduction and rendition were unconstitutional and illegal, ordering the Attorney General of Kenya to pay the compensation on behalf of the government.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, hailed the ruling as a “resounding judicial earthquake” and a historic victory for justice and human rights. The group emphasized that the ruling affirms their long-standing claim that Kanu’s removal from Kenya was not a legal extradition but an act of extraordinary rendition — a state-sponsored violation of international law.
“This judgment exposes the criminal collaboration between rogue elements within the Kenyan and Nigerian governments,” IPOB stated. “It vindicates our position and marks the beginning of a global campaign for accountability. All those involved in this international crime must be held responsible.”
The group extended gratitude to Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, the lead counsel in the Kenyan litigation, for his legal prowess, and praised Justice Mwita for his courage in delivering what they described as a fearless and principled verdict despite political pressure.
IPOB also criticized former Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, alongside former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, accusing them of orchestrating and covering up the rendition.
“This ruling places an indelible legal stain on those responsible and signals that international borders will no longer protect regimes that abuse power,” the IPOB statement concluded.
The ruling is expected to have significant diplomatic and legal implications, particularly in the ongoing legal battle surrounding Kanu’s trial in Nigeria. Human rights groups, legal scholars, and political observers are already describing the judgment as a defining moment in international human rights jurisprudence.
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