The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the Nigerian government to act on growing pressure from the United States Congress for the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, following fresh demands by U.S. Congressman John James that the separatist leader be freed immediately or granted a fresh trial.
James, a Republican lawmaker representing Michigan, made the call on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, urging the Nigerian government to either conduct a fresh trial for Kanu in line with the country’s Constitution or release him immediately and unconditionally.
According to a video of his remarks circulating online, the congressman said any retrial should guarantee Kanu access to evidence, legal representation, medical care and humane detention conditions.
James also described Nigeria as “the deadliest place on earth to be a Christian,” alleging that Christians have faced sustained religiously motivated violence since 2019 and claiming that terrorist groups such as Boko Haram have continued to operate without an adequate response from the Nigerian government.
He argued that Kanu’s conviction resulted from what he described as a flawed judicial process and urged fellow lawmakers to support efforts aimed at securing the IPOB leader’s release.
“I implore my colleagues to support my bill for the Nigerian government to release Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally,” James said.
The congressman further stated that the United States provides substantial financial assistance to Nigeria and should not continue to do so “to fund Christian genocide,” saying Washington has a moral obligation to support persecuted Christians.
James’ intervention follows the introduction of House Resolution 1321 in May 2026, which called on the Nigerian government to ensure Kanu’s legal proceedings comply with constitutional guarantees 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 being held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, while his legal team has filed an appeal challenging the conviction, which is yet to be heard.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful described James’ intervention as a historic development and urged the Nigerian government to heed the calls by U.S. lawmakers.
“We commend Congressman John James for his courage and the United States Congress for providing the platform,” Powerful said.
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He said IPOB’s representatives in the United States had continued to engage lawmakers and other stakeholders on Kanu’s case, adding that the latest intervention reflected growing international concern over the detention of the IPOB leader.
Powerful also pointed to what he described as recent engagements with Israeli lawmakers in Jerusalem, saying they further demonstrated increasing international attention on the matter.
The IPOB spokesman maintained that Kanu was wrongly convicted and insisted that his trial failed to meet due process standards.
He expressed hope that the renewed international pressure would compel Nigerian authorities to review the case.
“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released immediately and unconditionally,” Powerful said, adding that IPOB would continue to pursue what it described as its long-standing demand for a referendum on self-determination for the Biafra region.
Kanu’s conviction and detention remain the subject of ongoing legal proceedings before Nigeria’s appellate courts.
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