Barrister Onyedikachi Ifedi, a prominent human rights lawyer and the Director of Legal Affairs, Research, and Global Communications for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has strongly urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to comply with the recent judgment of the Kenyan High Court, which ruled that the abduction and extraordinary rendition of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, were illegal under both domestic and international law.
In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, Ifedi described the ruling as a significant blow to the Nigerian government’s handling of the case, labeling it a “judicial indictment” that could seriously damage the country’s global standing and undermine internal stability if ignored.
“This ruling does more than affirm Mazi Kanu’s consistent position—it is a powerful legal condemnation of the blatant lawlessness demonstrated in this case. It exposes Nigeria to multiple breaches of international treaties and human rights obligations,” Ifedi stated.
According to the Kenyan High Court, Kanu’s arrest, secret detention, and forced transfer to Nigeria in June 2021 violated his constitutional rights, including his rights to liberty, due process, and a fair hearing. These rights are protected under both the Kenyan and Nigerian constitutions, as well as in several international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Ifedi called on the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Kanu’s trial is currently ongoing under Justice James Omotosho, to take judicial notice of the implications of the Kenyan court’s ruling before proceeding any further in the case.
He specifically pointed to Section 2(3)(f)(ii) of Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which classifies the unlawful abduction of an individual in contravention of international law as an act of terrorism.
“Under our own laws, any Nigerian official who participated in the illegal rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya has effectively committed an act of terrorism,” Ifedi emphasized.
He also cited Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which forbids the expulsion or extradition of any person without a lawful and judicially approved process. Ifedi argued that the absence of formal extradition procedures in Kenya before Kanu was brought to Nigeria rendered the process “unconstitutional, violent, and entirely devoid of legal merit.”
“This issue goes beyond technicalities or legal semantics,” he continued. “It is a direct violation of constitutional principles and a blatant disregard for Nigeria’s international legal responsibilities.”
The IPOB legal officer urged Justice Omotosho to uphold constitutional integrity and international legal standards by examining the jurisdictional flaws exposed by the Kenyan court’s decision and the stipulations of the Terrorism Act.
“A trial that originates from a foundation of illegality cannot be made legal through procedure,” he warned. “Any court that overlooks such a fundamental breach of jurisdiction sacrifices both its moral and legal authority.”
Ifedi concluded by appealing to the Nigerian judiciary not to enable impunity, asserting that Nigeria’s reputation as a democratic nation rests on its commitment to obeying court rulings—domestic and foreign—especially those rooted in human rights and the rule of law.
