US lawmaker demands Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate release

United States Congressman John James has renewed calls for the immediate release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB(, Nnamdi Kanu.

James made the demand on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Thursday.

He linked Kanu’s continued detention to what he described as a wider pattern of religious persecution against Christians in Nigeria.

The Michigan lawmaker referenced H.Res. 1321, a resolution he introduced on May 22, 2026, calling on the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu comply with the country’s constitutional obligations and international human rights commitments.

Addressing the House, James described Nigeria as the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian, alleging that tens of thousands had been killed since 2019.

James said: “Since 2019, tens of thousands of Christians in Nigeria have been slaughtered as part of a sustained pattern of religiously motivated violence by Islamist jihadis ignored or enabled by the Nigerian government.”

The US lawmaker further alleged that extremist groups, including Boko Haram, continue to operate without a meaningful response from Nigerian authorities.

Turning his attention to Kanu, James described the IPOB leader as a courageous figure who spoke out against the killings, while characterising his conviction as the product of a “farce show trial.”

He argued that Kanu, who is serving a life sentence following his conviction on terrorism charges, should either receive another trial that meets constitutional and international standards or be released unconditionally.

James said: “I implore my colleagues to support my bill, H.Res. 1321, calling on the Nigerian government to conduct another trial in accordance with its own constitution based on evidence with access to legal counsel, medical care, and international law pertaining to humane conditions of detention, or better yet, release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally.”

The Congressman also questioned continued American financial support for Nigeria amid his allegations of religious persecution.

He said: “America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide.”

James maintained that the United States has a moral obligation to ensure Christians in Nigeria are able to practise their faith freely.

Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, after he was convicted on terrorism charges.

The IPOB leader is currently being held at the Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and subsequent transfer to Nigeria.

The resolution being championed by James also cites a July 20, 2022 opinion by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which found that Kanu’s detention violated international human rights obligations and recommended his release alongside appropriate remedies.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖