The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has renewed its demand for the immediate release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, following findings by a United Nations human rights body concerning his arrest, transfer to Nigeria and detention.
The group also wants Kanu compensated for what it described as violations of his fundamental rights.
It urged the Nigerian government to address the UN findings and stop what it called the selective application of international law.
IPOB made the demand in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson and Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
The statement came in response to recent comments by the British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, on real estate development in Jerusalem.
While expressing support for Israel, IPOB accused the British government of applying international law differently depending on the country or issue involved.
The group argued that Britain should also show the same concern for Kanu, whom it described as a British citizen whose rights were violated during his transfer from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021.
IPOB said the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had already examined Kanu’s case and reached findings concerning his detention.
The UN Working Group adopted Opinion No. 25/2022 after examining allegations surrounding Kanu’s arrest in Kenya, his treatment while in custody and his subsequent transfer to Nigeria.
The opinion described his deprivation of liberty as arbitrary and called for his immediate release and compensation.
It also recommended that the circumstances surrounding the violations be properly investigated.
The UN position has remained a major part of Kanu’s legal and political campaign for release.
However, the UN Working Group’s opinion is a human rights recommendation and does not automatically compel Nigeria to release a prisoner.
The Nigerian government has not implemented the recommendation.
IPOB said this was the basis for its renewed appeal for public pressure on the government to respect the international findings.
“These are not the words of IPOB. These are the findings of the highest international human rights bodies,” Powerful said.
The group also accused Britain of failing to take sufficient action over Kanu’s case despite his British citizenship.
According to IPOB, Britain has continued to raise international law concerns in relation to Israel while failing to show the same level of concern over the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s transfer to Nigeria.
“The same Britain invoking legal principles against our Israeli brothers and sisters actively helped Nigeria circumvent those very principles when it concerned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the group said.
Kanu was arrested in Kenya in June 2021 before being brought back to Nigeria, where he was placed on trial over terrorism-related allegations.
His supporters have consistently challenged the manner in which he was brought into the country.
The Nigerian government has maintained its position in the criminal case against him.
Kanu was eventually convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has since remained in custody at a correctional facility in Sokoto State.
His legal team has challenged the conviction at the Court of Appeal.
Politics Nigeria had earlier reported that Kanu filed an appeal against the life sentence in February 2026.
The appeal seeks to overturn the judgment of the Federal High Court and secure a different outcome for the IPOB leader.
In August, residents of Afaraukwu in Abia State staged a peaceful demonstration calling for Kanu’s release.
The protesters marched through the community and expressed support for the IPOB leader.
IPOB, however, has continued to focus on the international dimension of Kanu’s case. The group said the circumstances surrounding his transfer from Kenya should not be separated from the current legal proceedings against him.
Powerful also criticised what IPOB described as Britain’s position on Israel and Jerusalem.
The group said it supports Israel’s claim to Jerusalem and rejected what it described as attempts by the British government to lecture Israel on where Jewish people should live.
“Jerusalem is Israel, and Israel is Jerusalem. The Balfour Declaration formally recognised this historic right more than a century ago,” IPOB stated.
The group further argued that Britain should not condemn one country for alleged breaches of international law while overlooking similar allegations involving another country.
It accused the British government of damaging its credibility by applying international principles selectively.
IPOB also raised concerns over what it described as Palestinian extremism, including terrorism, incitement and the Palestinian Authority’s alleged “pay for slay” policy.
The organisation linked those issues to what it described as growing antisemitism against British Jews.
According to the group, Britain should apply the same standard of international law to all governments and individuals, regardless of political interests.
IPOB said its position was not aimed at opposing international law but at demanding consistency in its application.
The group urged Nigerians and the international community to draw attention to the UN findings on Kanu and pressure the Nigerian government to act on the recommendations.
It also called on Britain to reconsider its position on the matter and provide stronger diplomatic support to Kanu as a British citizen.
IPOB maintained that Kanu’s release and compensation would represent an important step towards addressing the violations identified by the UN Working Group.
It further insisted that the Nigerian government should not ignore international human rights findings simply because they concern a politically sensitive case.
The group concluded by warning Britain that continued selective application of international law could expose the government to accusations of hypocrisy.
“Britain should choose to respect international law for all, or be exposed as a hypocrite that uses law only as a weapon against its friends,” IPOB said.