The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has commended U.S. Congressman John James for calling on the Nigerian government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, or grant him a fresh trial in line with constitutional and international legal standards.
Speaking on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, James, a Republican representing Michigan, urged Nigeria to either conduct a new trial for Kanu with full access to legal counsel, evidence, medical care and humane detention conditions, or release him immediately and unconditionally.
The lawmaker argued that Christians in Nigeria have faced sustained religious violence since 2019, alleging that extremist groups such as Boko Haram have operated with insufficient government response. He also described Kanu’s conviction as the result of an unfair judicial process.
James said: “I implore my colleagues to support my bill for the Nigerian government to release Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally.”
He further stated that the United States should not continue providing financial support to Nigeria **“to fund Christian genocide,”** stressing what he described as America’s moral responsibility to stand with Nigerian Christians.
James’s remarks come months after House Resolution 1321 was introduced in the U.S. Congress in May 2026, urging the Nigerian government to ensure Kanu’s legal proceedings comply with constitutional and international human rights standards.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 after a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him on terrorism-related charges. He is currently detained at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, while his lawyers pursue an appeal against the judgment.
Reacting to the development, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful described the intervention as a significant milestone, saying the case had continued to attract international attention.
He said: “We commend Congressman John James for his courage and the United States Congress for providing the platform.”
Powerful added that IPOB’s representatives in the United States had continued to advocate for Kanu’s release and pointed to the group’s recent engagement with Israeli lawmakers as further evidence of growing global interest in the case.
Maintaining that Kanu was wrongly convicted, the IPOB spokesman argued that the trial fell short of due-process standards and expressed hope that renewed international attention would encourage Nigerian authorities to reconsider the case.
He added: “Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
Powerful also reiterated that IPOB would continue pursuing its long-standing demand for a referendum on self-determination for the Biafra region.
Kanu’s conviction and detention remain the subject of ongoing appellate proceedings before Nigerian courts.
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