IPOB Accuses UK, Nigerian Bar Association of Failing Nnamdi Kanu

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the United Kingdom government and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of failing to uphold justice in the ongoing case of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB said it was “deeply disappointed” by what it described as the continued silence of both the UK and the NBA over “the open abuse of the law” in Kanu’s prolonged detention.

‘Silence of the UK Shameful’ — IPOB

The group criticized the UK government for what it called “a shameful silence,” noting that Kanu is a British citizen and therefore entitled to the protection of the UK government.

“The UK government has watched quietly as its own citizen is treated unjustly by a system that no longer hides its bias,” the statement read.

IPOB alleged that Nigeria’s judiciary had “ignored the Constitution and disrespected basic human rights” in handling Kanu’s case, claiming that the Supreme Court’s decision to send him back to trial under a repealed law violated due process.

“If this had happened to a British citizen anywhere else in the world, the UK government would have spoken out loudly,” IPOB stated. “But because the victim is a Biafran, there is silence — a silence that reeks of complicity.”

NBA Accused of ‘Looking Away’

The group also accused the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of failing to defend the rule of law and of remaining silent in the face of alleged judicial inconsistencies.

“The NBA was created to defend the rule of law. Today, it behaves like an association afraid of its own shadow,” IPOB said. “This cowardice is destroying public trust in the judiciary.”

IPOB further alleged that the Nigerian judiciary has become compromised, claiming that some judges “prefer silence to courage” in politically sensitive cases.

‘Justice Itself on Trial’

The group urged both the UK government and the NBA to “speak out” and take a public stance on Kanu’s ongoing detention, which it described as politically motivated.

“The persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not just a legal case — it is the mirror reflecting the decay of Nigeria’s judiciary and the moral failure of those who should defend justice,” the group said.

Kanu, leader of IPOB, has been in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021. He faces charges bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism-related offences.

While IPOB maintains that Kanu’s detention is illegal, the Nigerian government insists that his trial follows due legal process. The UK government and the Nigerian Bar Association have yet to respond to IPOB’s latest claims.