By SUNTV Global Channel | December 28, 2025
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the United Kingdom of applying double standards in its human rights advocacy following the celebrated return of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah to the UK, while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British-Nigerian citizen and leader of IPOB, remains in detention in Nigeria.
In a statement released on Sunday, IPOB said it was deeply concerned that the British government moved swiftly to intervene in Abd el-Fattah’s case but has failed to demonstrate similar urgency over Kanu’s prolonged incarceration, despite multiple court rulings and international decisions condemning his arrest and detention.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had on December 26 publicly welcomed Abd el-Fattah’s return, describing it as “a profound relief” and a top priority for his administration. IPOB, however, said such commitment has not been extended to Kanu, who has been held since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021.
According to IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, Kanu’s arrest and continued detention violate international law, adding that Britain has offered only minimal consular engagement in the matter.
“While the UK acted decisively to secure Abd el-Fattah’s freedom, it has remained largely passive in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a dual British-Nigerian citizen whose abduction, detention, and trial have been condemned by courts and international bodies,” the group said.
IPOB cited several legal decisions it claims Nigerian authorities have failed to obey, including a Federal High Court judgment of October 26, 2022, which ordered the Nigerian government to return Kanu to Kenya, halt his trial, and pay ₦500 million in damages for unlawful abduction.
The group also referenced a Court of Appeal ruling of October 13, 2022, which discharged and acquitted Kanu on grounds that his rendition violated international law and stripped Nigerian courts of jurisdiction. In addition, IPOB pointed to an opinion by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which declared Kanu’s detention unlawful and called for his immediate release and compensation.
IPOB further noted that a Kenyan High Court in June 2025 ruled that Kanu’s abduction and transfer to Nigeria were unconstitutional and awarded damages in his favour.
Despite these rulings, IPOB said Kanu remains in custody following a controversial Federal High Court conviction and life sentence handed down on November 20, 2025, a decision the group described as legally flawed and contrary to higher court judgments.
The group also linked Britain’s perceived inaction to historical grievances, citing the UK’s colonial past in southeastern Nigeria and events such as the Ekumeku movement, the Aba Women’s Uprising of 1929, the Enugu coal miners’ struggle, and the Biafran War.
IPOB called on the United Nations, African Union, European Union, and the United States to intensify pressure on Nigeria for Kanu’s release, while urging Britain to match its advocacy for Abd el-Fattah with concrete action in Kanu’s case.
“Britain cannot celebrate the freedom of one activist as a top priority while offering only statements for another British citizen whose detention has been ruled arbitrary and unlawful by multiple courts and the UN,” the group said.
IPOB concluded by demanding fairness, transparency, and the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, insisting that justice must be applied equally, without discrimination.
