IPOB Slams UK and Nigerian Bar Association for Betraying Justice in Nnamdi Kanu's Trial

IPOB Slams UK and Nigerian Bar Association for Betraying Justice in Nnamdi Kanu's Trial

IPOB Slams UK and Nigerian Bar Association for Betraying Justice in Nnamdi Kanu's Trial

IPOB Slams UK and Nigerian Bar Association for Betraying Justice in Nnamdi Kanu's Trial 

In a scathing open letter that's sending shockwaves through legal and diplomatic circles, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has unleashed its fury at the United Kingdom government and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for their "deafening silence" on the protracted trial of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Issued on October 6, 2025, the statement from IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful paints a grim picture of judicial abuse, accusing Nigeria's courts of twisting laws into knots to keep Kanu— a British citizen—behind bars for over four years. "For four long years, Nigeria’s judges and justices have twisted the law beyond recognition," Powerful thundered, decrying the betrayal by institutions meant to champion human rights.

Kanu's saga reads like a thriller gone wrong. Extradited controversially from Kenya in 2021, the IPOB firebrand was initially discharged by the Court of Appeal in 2022, only for that ruling to be overturned. Now facing terrorism charges under the reportedly repealed Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act of 2013, his trial has devolved into what IPOB calls a "kangaroo court." Allegations fly thick: remand without a lawyer, testimony from "fake DSS witnesses" who've never met him, and the Supreme Court's eyebrow-raising decision to reinstate Justice Binta Nyako—accused of bias—over the case. Powerful didn't mince words: "They have ignored the Constitution, disrespected basic human rights, and abandoned the principles that make any judiciary worthy of respect.

"The UK's role draws the sharpest barbs. As Kanu's homeland, Britain is slammed for hypocrisy. "How can Britain, the birthplace of the rule of law, say nothing while Nigeria tramples on everything the common law stands for?" the statement demands. IPOB argues that if this were any other citizen abroad, London would roar in protest—yet for a Biafran advocate, there's only complicity. "The UK government has watched quietly as its own citizens are treated unjustly by a system that no longer hides its bias.

"Turning to the NBA, Nigeria's premier legal watchdog, IPOB accuses it of cowardice. Once a bulwark against military dictators, the association now "behaves like an association afraid of its own shadow." Where are the bold voices defending due process? "This cowardice is destroying public trust in the judiciary. Judges are meant to be lions, not mice," Powerful warned.

This isn't just about one man; it's a *litmus test for global justice. Kanu's detention symbolizes the Igbo quest for self-determination in southeastern Nigeria, amid simmering separatist tensions. IPOB's plea is urgent: "Stand up for justice and demand fair treatment for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu." As the world watches Nigeria's legal theater unfold, the silence from allies like the UK and NBA risks eroding faith in international norms. Will the break their hush before history indicts them too? The clock ticks—for Kanu, for Biafra, for the rule of law itself.

News Source; SaharaReporters, Pulse press. ng

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