American Igbo veterans urge Kanu’s release, slam rights abuses and global silence over detention.
Group also condemns Benue killings, warns of growing threats to justice and regional stability.
As the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), progresses toward a crucial stage, the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) have renewed their call for his immediate and unconditional release by the Federal Government of Nigeria. This fresh demand comes amid growing concerns about human rights violations and the state of justice in the country.
The AVID, in a statement released to judiciary correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by its chairman, Chief Dr. Sylvester Onyia, emphasized that Kanu’s prolonged detention, despite numerous court rulings ordering his release, represents a gross abuse of power and a deliberate infringement on his basic human rights.
“The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is no longer a matter of legal complexity but a blatant disregard for the rule of law and a calculated attempt to suppress dissenting voices,” the group stated. “This is not just an internal legal issue; it is now a test of international justice and human dignity.”
The Federal Government, which is prosecuting the case, recently closed its arguments. Reports suggest that Kanu’s defense team is expected to conclude its case by next week, marking a significant point in the prolonged legal battle. The IPOB leader has been in custody since his extradition in 2021 under circumstances that many, including international legal observers, have described as questionable.
AVID further called on major international bodies, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to intervene and press for Kanu’s release. The group also appealed to the United Kingdom Government to take concrete steps in defending the rights of its citizen, noting that Kanu holds British nationality.
“The silence of global institutions in the face of such injustice emboldens the violation of civil liberties and undermines democratic values,” Onyia added. “The UK must rise in defense of one of its own and stand firmly on the side of justice and fairness.”
The statement also touched on the recent wave of killings in Benue State, describing them as horrific and deeply troubling. AVID condemned the escalating violence and urged the international community, global human rights organizations, and democracy watchdogs to investigate and respond swiftly to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
According to the group, the continued attacks in Benue and other parts of Nigeria, especially those populated by indigenous communities, appear to be part of an orchestrated ethnic cleansing campaign. AVID linked the violence to what it termed the government’s sustained campaign of intimidation and oppression against dissenting voices.
“The brutality seen in Benue State and other indigenous territories is not isolated,” the group said. “It is part of a larger pattern of state-backed terror disguised as herdsmen attacks. These atrocities reveal the dangerous cost of silencing truth-tellers and opposition leaders.”
AVID warned that the situation in Nigeria, if left unaddressed, could further destabilize the region and set a troubling precedent for the suppression of political and civil freedoms in Africa.
