The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has welcomed the recent judgment of the High Court of Kenya, which found the arrest and transfer of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 to be unlawful and unconstitutional.

Justice E.C. Mwita, who delivered the ruling on Tuesday, held that the Kenyan government violated both its own constitution and Kanu’s fundamental rights. The court awarded Kanu KSh10 million in damages and criticised both the Kenyan and Nigerian authorities for what it described as illegal conduct.

“Kanu entered Kenya legally and was entitled to constitutional protections,” Justice Mwita said. “Instead, he was abducted, subjected to torture, held incommunicado, and eventually transferred to Nigeria outside the framework of any legal extradition process.”

The court ruled that the actions taken against Kanu breached Kenyan law and international legal norms, including his detention without access to food, water, or medical care.

In response, IPOB issued a statement on Friday signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, calling the ruling a judicial confirmation of what it has maintained since 2021.

The group argued that Kanu was not extradited but unlawfully seized and handed over through what it termed “extraordinary rendition.”

“He was abducted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, tortured, and flown to Abuja without any legal hearing or court order,” the statement read.

IPOB also criticised the roles played by both the Nigerian and Kenyan governments, characterising the operation as a coordinated act of “state-sponsored international terrorism.”

The group said it would intensify efforts to seek international accountability for the incident.

The statement praised the legal team in Kenya, particularly lead counsel Professor PLO Lumumba, and commended Justice Mwita for what it described as a clear and courageous verdict.

“This ruling leaves a lasting legal and moral mark on the records of former Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Muhammadu Buhari,” IPOB stated.

The group concluded by reaffirming its intention to pursue justice beyond the ruling, saying the judgment marks the start of a broader international campaign for accountability.