ABUJA, NIGERIA – Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has informed a Nigerian Federal High Court that he intends to call 23 witnesses, including individuals from Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States, to testify in his defence against terrorism charges. This development, announced during a court session on Friday, October 24, 2025, brings Kenya's role in his 2021 arrest and subsequent transfer to Nigeria into sharp focus.

The trial was adjourned until Monday, October 27, 2025, to allow Kanu, who recently dismissed his legal team to represent himself, time to prepare his defence. Presiding Judge James Omotosho granted the adjournment after Kanu stated he had not yet received his case files from his former lawyers.

Kenya's Connection and a Landmark Ruling

The inclusion of Kenyan witnesses is particularly significant for audiences in East Africa. Kanu, a dual British-Nigerian citizen, was controversially arrested in Nairobi in June 2021 and subjected to an “extraordinary rendition” to Nigeria. His family and lawyers have long maintained that he was abducted, tortured, and illegally transferred without due process, an assertion that the Kenyan government has previously denied.

These claims were substantially validated in a landmark decision on June 24, 2025, when the High Court of Kenya in Nairobi ruled that Kanu's abduction and rendition were illegal and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights. Justice E.C. Mwita declared the Kenyan government was complicit in the operation and awarded Kanu 10 million Kenyan Shillings in compensatory damages. The IPOB hailed the ruling, which was argued by a legal team led by renowned Kenyan lawyer Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, as a vindication of their stance.

The International Witness List

While the full list of the 23 proposed witnesses has not been made public, some names have been revealed in court filings. A key international figure is Bruce Fein, a prominent American constitutional and human rights lawyer, who is expected to testify on the illegality of the extraordinary rendition from Kenya and its implications for the Nigerian court's jurisdiction.

The specific identities of the witnesses from Kenya and Ethiopia, however, remain unconfirmed. It is not yet clear whether they are government officials, security personnel who may have been present during his arrest at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or other individuals with knowledge of his time in Kenya. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.

Kanu has also listed several high-profile Nigerian political figures as “vital and compellable witnesses,” including current and former governors and ministers, and past and present heads of the country's security and intelligence agencies.

Background of the Case

Nnamdi Kanu is a prominent figure who leads IPOB, a group advocating for the secession of the Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria. He founded the movement in 2012 and utilized broadcasts from Radio Biafra in London to propagate his message. The Nigerian government designated IPOB as a terrorist organization in 2017.

Kanu was first arrested on treason charges in October 2015 but was released on bail in April 2017. He subsequently fled Nigeria after a military raid on his home. His re-arrest in Kenya in June 2021 brought him back before the Nigerian courts to face a seven-count charge that includes terrorism and incitement.

The legal battle has been complex. In October 2022, a Nigerian Court of Appeal quashed the charges, ruling that the extraordinary rendition from Kenya deprived the trial court of jurisdiction. However, Nigeria's Supreme Court overturned this decision in December 2023, stating that while the rendition was illegal, it did not nullify the charges, and ordered the trial to proceed.

Implications for Kenya and International Law

The upcoming testimony from international witnesses, particularly any from Kenya, will be closely watched. It could shed further light on the precise circumstances of Kanu's capture and transfer, potentially creating diplomatic ripples between Nairobi and Abuja. The Kenyan High Court's ruling has already established a legal precedent regarding state accountability in transnational renditions.

For Kenyans, the case raises critical questions about the nation's sovereignty, the rule of law, and the conduct of its security forces in matters of international relations. As Kanu prepares to open his defence on Monday, the proceedings in Abuja are set to have significant repercussions that extend far beyond Nigeria's borders, reaching directly into East Africa.