Activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the Nigerian government over the 2021 transfer of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria, following a Kenyan court ruling that declared the action illegal.
The High Court of Kenya recently ruled that Kanu’s arrest and extradition were unlawful and constituted a violation of his fundamental human rights. The court awarded him 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately ₦119.6 million) in compensatory damages.
Reacting to the judgment, Sowore condemned both the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the current government led by President Bola Tinubu for what he described as a continued violation of Kanu’s rights.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Sowore said, “An unjust and criminal act of brigandage by the Muhammadu Buhari regime but continued by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime.”
He argued that the rendition was not only illegal but also highlighted a broader pattern of disregard for due process and international legal norms by Nigerian authorities.
The court’s ruling marks a significant development in Kanu’s long-standing legal and political battle, which has drawn widespread attention both locally and internationally.
Kanu, who faces charges related to treason and terrorism in Nigeria, has been held in custody since his return from Kenya in June 2021, under circumstances that have now been deemed unlawful by the Kenyan judiciary.
The Nigerian government has not officially responded to the Kenyan court ruling as of the time of this report.