The United States House of Representatives has introduced a resolution calling on the Government of Nigeria to conduct all legal proceedings involving Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in line with Nigeria’s constitutional obligations and international human rights commitments.
Submitted by Rep. James and dated April 9, 2026, the resolution highlights growing concerns about the treatment of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu. Kanu remained in custody after authorities controversially transferred him from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021, and a court later convicted and imprisoned him in November 2025.
On November 20, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja found Kanu guilty of terrorism-related charges, including inciting violence and unlawful broadcasts.
The judge sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for counts 1, 4, 5, and 6, opting against the death penalty because global communities currently frown upon it. Justice Omotosho also handed down concurrent 20-year and 5-year sentences for the remaining counts.
Meanwhile, the document cites the findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which in July 2022 concluded that Kanu’s detention violated international human rights obligations.
Similarly, human rights organsations have also raised alarms about due process, access to counsel, and conditions of detention.
The resolution further warns that “prolonged detention without adequate medical care raises serious humanitarian concerns.”
It “urges the Government of Nigeria to carefully consider the findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.”
It “encourages the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has consistent access to legal counsel, necessary medical care, and humane conditions of detention.”
