The illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is not just a national crisis for Nigeria—it is an international disgrace. His near four-year-long detention, without trial or any credible evidence, exemplifies the dangerous descent of Nigeria’s judiciary into a cesspool of corruption, lawlessness, and political manipulation. The global community must take notice and act decisively to hold Nigeria accountable for its gross violations of human rights and its brazen disregard for the rule of law. Nnamdi Kanu’s plight is not an isolated incident but a clear reflection of the systematic decay within Nigeria’s institutions, where power reigns supreme, and justice is for sale.
A Broken System: The Nigerian Judiciary’s Collusion with Oppressors
The Nigerian judiciary, once a symbol of hope for justice and democracy, has now become a willing pawn in the hands of the government, where political actors pull the strings, and judges act as their puppets. Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest in Kenya in 2021 and his unlawful extraordinary rendition to Nigeria were the initial steps in what has become a long, torturous violation of international law. Kanu has been reduced to a political prisoner, with the judiciary enabling his prolonged incarceration. This isn’t justice; it’s a travesty, driven by corruption and manipulation at the highest levels of Nigerian governance.
Nigeria’s judiciary, a once-revered institution, now ranks among the most corrupt in the world. According to the 2024 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, Nigeria ranked 145 out of 180 countries, a damning indictment of the country’s institutional decay. Judges, many of whom are no longer arbiters of justice but profiteers of corruption, continue to undermine the legal process, receiving bribes to manipulate cases, delay trials, and hand down rulings based not on evidence, but on the whims of the political elite.
In Kanu’s case, several court rulings, including the 2022 decision by Nigeria’s Court of Appeal to quash charges of terrorism against him, have been blatantly ignored. This deliberate dismissal of justice is a clear indication that the judiciary no longer operates as an independent entity, but as a complicit arm of a repressive regime determined to silence any form of dissent. The question is no longer about guilt or innocence but about the influence of political forces that seek to punish those who dare challenge the status quo. Kanu’s detention is nothing short of judicial terrorism—a calculated effort to wear him down while undermining the rule of law in Nigeria.
The Role of Corruption: A Judiciary for Sale
Kanu’s prolonged imprisonment is a direct result of a corrupt judicial system that operates at the beck and call of the Nigerian government. The judiciary, rather than serving as a bulwark against tyranny, has become its enabler. Reports from The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) reveal that Nigerian judges are among the highest recipients of bribes, with millions exchanged behind closed doors to influence rulings. In a 2021 exposé, a former Supreme Court Justice disclosed that judges in Nigeria routinely receive upwards of ₦50 million ($120,000 USD) to delay or dismiss cases, further illustrating the deeply entrenched nature of corruption within the system.
In the case of Nnamdi Kanu, every adjournment, every procedural delay, and every ignored ruling comes at a cost—both financially and morally. The government’s refusal to release Kanu, despite multiple court orders, is not a testament to the strength of the legal case against him, but rather a reflection of how deeply compromised the judiciary has become. The Nigerian government is determined to keep Kanu silenced, and the judiciary, now a shadow of its former self, is facilitating this repression. The corruption isn’t just confined to local magistrates or regional courts—this is systemic, reaching the highest echelons of the legal system.
The Need for International Sanctions: Immediate Action Required
The time for diplomatic niceties and quiet negotiations has passed. The international community must act swiftly and decisively to hold the Nigerian government accountable for its continued violations of Nnamdi Kanu’s human rights. Western powers, including the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, must impose targeted economic and diplomatic sanctions on Nigerian officials responsible for Kanu’s unlawful detention. Sanctions should include asset freezes, travel bans, and the suspension of military aid, particularly in light of the government’s misuse of the judiciary to perpetuate political repression.
The precedent for such sanctions already exists. Following the 2020 #EndSARS protests, where Nigerian security forces massacred unarmed civilians, the U.S. and the European Union introduced travel bans and asset freezes on several high-ranking Nigerian officials. This move, though limited, sent a clear message that the international community will not tolerate the flagrant abuse of power. A similar, if not stronger, response is required now. Those responsible for Kanu’s illegal rendition, his detention, and the ongoing manipulation of his legal proceedings must be held accountable.
Diplomatic pressure alone, however, will not suffice. There must be real, tangible consequences for Nigeria’s disregard for international law. The country’s brazen use of extraordinary rendition to capture Kanu violated multiple international treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory to. By failing to hold Nigeria accountable for these violations, the international community is essentially endorsing the government’s illegal tactics, setting a dangerous precedent for other authoritarian regimes.
Read also: A Call For Justice: Freeing Nnamdi Kanu For Nigeria’s Future
International Law Violations: Extraordinary Rendition and Beyond
The international community must not overlook the illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria. Kenya, as a sovereign state, violated its own extradition laws by allowing Nigerian security forces to kidnap Kanu and transport him across borders without due legal process. This act of state-sponsored kidnapping violates both the African Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which explicitly prohibit arbitrary arrest, detention, and the forcible transfer of individuals across borders without proper judicial oversight.
The consequences of extraordinary rendition are not limited to Kanu’s case alone. If unchecked, this dangerous practice could become a tool for other authoritarian regimes to silence political opponents and activists. The international community must condemn Nigeria’s actions in the strongest terms and demand that the United Nations, the African Union, and human rights organizations conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s illegal arrest and extradition.
Moreover, Nigeria must be held accountable for its use of the judiciary to perpetuate political repression. The government’s blatant disregard for court rulings, including multiple decisions ordering Kanu’s release, is a clear violation of Nigeria’s international legal obligations. The international community must demand not only Kanu’s immediate release but also a full investigation into the Nigerian judiciary’s complicity in his unlawful detention. Without accountability, the erosion of judicial independence will continue, and Nigeria’s descent into authoritarianism will only deepen.
The Broader Implications: A Threat to Human Rights in Africa
Nnamdi Kanu’s detention is not an isolated case, nor is it just a Nigerian issue. It represents a broader trend of judicial manipulation and political repression across Africa, where corrupt governments use the courts to silence dissent and entrench their power. In Uganda, opposition leader Bobi Wine was similarly detained under trumped-up charges after challenging President Museveni’s decades-long rule. In Zimbabwe, political opponents of President Emmerson Mnangagwa have faced arbitrary detention and harassment by the state.
If the international community fails to act now, it sends a message that such violations of human rights and the rule of law are acceptable. This is a dangerous precedent that threatens not only the stability of individual countries but the democratic integrity of the continent as a whole. It is imperative that the international community, through coordinated diplomatic pressure, sanctions, and legal action, puts an end to the unlawful detention of political prisoners like Kanu and holds corrupt regimes accountable for their actions.
Conclusion: Time for Decisive Action
The continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu is a travesty of justice, a stain on Nigeria’s judiciary, and an affront to international law. The Nigerian government’s use of extraordinary rendition, judicial manipulation, and political repression to silence Kanu is not only illegal but a clear violation of his basic human rights. The international community must act swiftly and decisively to impose sanctions, demand accountability, and ensure Kanu’s immediate release.
Failure to do so would embolden corrupt regimes across the globe, setting a dangerous precedent for how political prisoners are treated. The time for silence and passive diplomacy is over. It is time for the world to stand up for justice, demand the end of Kanu’s unlawful detention, and hold Nigeria accountable for its flagrant violations of human rights. Only through coordinated international action can we hope to restore the rule of law and protect the rights of those who dare to speak truth to power.