A Kenyan court has delivered a major legal blow to the governments involved in the controversial 2021 transfer of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, declaring the operation illegal and unconstitutional.
In a judgment handed down on June 24, 2025, Justice E.C. Mwita of Nairobi’s Milimani Constitutional Court ruled that Kanu’s arrest and removal from Kenya violated his rights. The court found that he was abducted, denied basic care, and flown out of the country without due legal process, all in breach of Kenya’s laws and Constitution.
Kanu, a British citizen who entered Kenya legally, was awarded 10 million Kenyan Shillings (about ₦121.9 million) in compensation. His brother Kingsley brought the case, challenging the roles played by Kenyan security agencies, immigration officials, and top government departments in the 2021 incident.
The court rejected the government’s defense that Kanu had not been officially deported or arrested by Kenyan authorities, ruling instead that the state was responsible for the violation of his fundamental rights.
Reacting to the verdict, IPOB described it as a historic win, calling it evidence that Kanu’s capture was not an extradition but an illegal rendition. The group applauded the Kenyan judiciary for upholding justice and praised Professor PLO Lumumba, who led the legal challenge.
They also signaled plans for broader international action, saying the ruling marks the start of a campaign to hold all those involved accountable on the global stage. IPOB warned that complicity whether by individuals or states will not be ignored.
