A coalition of pan-Igbo self determination activists has condemned the silence of the United Kingdom, UK, government on the conviction and sentencing of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID, Ambassadors for Self-Determination, ASD, and Rising Sun Foundation, RSF, in a joint statement on Tuesday, accused the UK government of failing to protect its citizen. Kanu holds a British passport.
After a trial that lasted several years, the IPOB leader was on November 20, 2025, convicted on terrorism charges filed against him by the Nigerian government. The Abuja Federal High Court, presided by James Omotosho, which convicted the agitator, went ahead to sentence him to life imprisonment.
Kanu is currently serving the prison term in the Sokoto custodial centre of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
In a statement jointly signed by Dr Sylvester Onyia, AVID, Evans Nwankwo, ASD, and Maxwell Dede, RSF, the pan-Igbo activists berated the UK government for not intervening in Kanu’s case in the same manner it has been intervening in similar situations.
Titled ‘Public briefing note on the UK government’s silence over the rendition, unlawful detention and life imprisonment of British citizen, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’, the statement described the silence of the British government as alarming and inconsistent.
The statement said, “On November 20, 2025, Nigeria’s Federal High Court (per Justice James Omotosho) sentenced Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, to life imprisonment under a repealed law, despite a binding Court of Appeal acquittal issued on October 13, 2022.
“Kanu’s ordeal began with his illegal rendition from Kenya in June 2021, an operation executed without extradition proceedings, in violation of the UK–Nigeria Extradition Treaty (2008), the European Convention on Extradition, the UN Convention Against Torture (Article 3) and Nigeria’s domestic laws, which bar trying a renditioned suspect.
Despite the gravity of these violations — and the fact that Kanu was abducted as a British passport holder broadcasting peacefully from London, where IPOB is legally registered — the UK Government has issued no statement since the November 20 sentencing.
“This silence is unprecedented, alarming, and inconsistent with Britain’s global human-rights posture.”
Expressing concern over the UK government’s silence after Kanu’s life sentence, the statement noted that the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, FCDO, last engaged Nigerian authorities on 11 November 2025, urging “fair trial standards” and consular access.
It added, “Since the life sentence, there has been no statement, no parliamentary briefing, no diplomatic protest, and no sanctioning of Nigerian officials. This silence stands in stark contrast to the UK’s response to cases involving far less egregious violations.”
The activists noted that the UK’s indifference “reads as tacit endorsement of a sham process”.
They further slammed the UK government for failing to provide protection for a British citizen abducted abroad. According to the statement, the UK has offered no explanation for its failure to condemn the international abduction of its citizen, demand compliance with the 2022 appellate discharge, reject trial under a repealed terrorism statute, and respond to the “fabricated claims in Omotosho’s judgment, including false allegations that Kanu threatened UK/US missions”.
“Implication is that the UK is failing its own citizen, violating its duty of diplomatic protection,” the activists said.
Further accusing the UK government of selective application of rule of law standards, the statement observed that the UK has historically been vocal on cases involving detained activists such as Alexei Navalny (Russia), Aung San Suu Kyi (Myanmar), Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong) and Julian Assange (Australia/US). “Yet for Kanu — a British national facing rendition, torture, illegal detention, and conviction under a repealed law — the UK has chosen silence. This selective approach undermines Britain’s credibility as a champion of human rights and due process.”
The activists further alleged that the silence of the UK government is evidence of bias and hostility against the Igbos.
“We emphasize clearly – the UK’s silence is evidence of ethnic hostility toward the Igbo. The Igbo diaspora perceives the UK’s failure to protect Kanu — coupled with Omotosho’s allegations of threats against UK/US missions — as part of a pattern of calculating neglect, reminiscent of Britain’s 1967–1970 role during the Biafran War.
“Silence fuels distrust and reinforces a belief that the UK prioritizes geopolitical convenience over justice,” the statement said.
Explaining why the conviction matters to the UK, the pan-Igbo activists pointed out that Kanu is a British citizen, and that his broadcasts from London fall under UK free speech protections (Human Rights Act 1998; Article 10 ECHR).
“His political advocacy is peaceful, legal, and constitutionally protected in the UK,” the statement noted, adding that IPOB is legally registered in the UK, with company No. 09862831.
“UK economic interests cannot override human rights obligations. Trade volumes (£6.5bn annually) with Nigeria do not absolve Britain of protecting a citizen facing state persecution. The UK’s global image Is at stake. Silence here weakens UK moral authority in future human-rights cases,” the statement added.
The activists demanded that the UK immediately issue a public statement acknowledging serious concerns about Kanu’s unlawful rendition and alleged trial under a repealed law, the Nigerian government’s refusal to comply with a binding Court of Appeal judgment, and allegations of fabricated evidence in the judgment.
They also asked the UK to demand that the Nigerian government complies with the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment which acquitted Kanu, and also provide full consular support, including medical access and monitoring of detention conditions, for the IPOB leader.
Other demands are that the UK government should launch a parliamentary inquiry into its response to Kanu’s rendition and ongoing detention, and review possible sanctions under the UK Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations (Magnitsky model) against officials involved in the rendition, torture, suppression of court judgments and fabrication of evidence.
“We reject the narrative that this is a Nigerian internal matter. When a British citizen is abducted abroad, tortured,
tried under a repealed statute,
denied the benefit of a binding appellate acquittal, and convicted on fabricated claims — it becomes an international matter and a test of UK values.
“The silence of the United Kingdom – custodian of Magna Carta and birthplace of modern human rights law — is deeply troubling. It sends a dangerous message that realpolitik can override the rights of its own citizens, and that fair trial standards are negotiable depending on who is involved. This injustice will not be allowed to stand. Silence is complicity.
The UK must act,” the statement added.
You failed your citizen’ – Pan-Igbo activists condemn UK Govt’s silence on Nnamdi Kanu
