Nnamdi Kanu Urges NBA To Address His Case At Annual Conference, Citing Judicial Misconduct.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to include his ongoing legal case in discussions at its 2025 Annual General Conference in Enugu. In a letter dated 18 August 2025, addressed to the NBA president and received by the national secretariat on 22 August, Kanu described his trial as a “judicial lynching” and accused the Nigerian judiciary of flagrant violations of legal principles. The letter, personally signed by Kanu, was made public on Friday in Abuja.
Kanu, who has been in detention since his controversial rendition from Kenya in June 2021, faces charges of terrorism and treasonable felony. He argues that his case exemplifies systemic judicial misconduct, including the use of repealed laws and breaches of constitutional and international human rights standards. In his letter, titled “Re: Miscarriages of Justice in the Case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” he urged the NBA, as a guardian of the legal profession, to investigate these claims and address them at the conference. “Silence now would make the NBA complicit in the erosion of Nigeria’s legal foundations,” Kanu wrote, invoking the Latin maxim *Qui tacet consentire videtur* (“he who is silent is taken to agree”).
The IPOB leader highlighted specific grievances, including alleged violations of Section 36 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing rights, as well as Sections 169 and 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. He also cited breaches of international treaties, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Kanu’s legal team, led by Aloy Ejimakor, has previously challenged the impartiality of the presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, who recused herself in September 2024 but was later reinstated by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
Kanu’s petition comes amid growing concerns over the handling of his case. A Kenyan High Court ruling in June 2025 declared his 2021 rendition unlawful, awarding him Kshs 10 million (approximately N110 million) in damages for violations of his rights, including abduction and denial of access to legal representation. The ruling has intensified calls for his release, with the NBA and civil society groups arguing that his continued detention undermines the rule of law.
The NBA has yet to respond formally to Kanu’s request, but his plea has sparked debate among legal practitioners and the public. Posts on X reflect mixed sentiments, with some users urging the NBA to address Kanu’s case as a matter of judicial integrity, while others view it as a politically charged issue. The conference, currently underway in Enugu, provides a platform for the NBA to tackle these allegations, which Kanu insists are not just personal but critical to upholding Nigeria’s legal framework.
As the trial continues, with a key ruling on Kanu’s “no case” submission scheduled for 10 October 2025, the spotlight remains on Nigeria’s judiciary. Kanu’s call for NBA intervention underscores the broader struggle for accountability and fairness in the nation’s legal system, with implications for public confidence in the rule of law.
