A member of the United States House of Representatives, John James, has renewed his campaign for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, urging the Nigerian government to either free him unconditionally or conduct a fresh trial in line with constitutional and international legal standards.
James made the appeal on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Thursday while speaking in support of House Resolution 1321, a measure he introduced on May 22, 2026.
The resolution, which is currently before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, calls on the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu comply with Nigeria’s Constitution and international human rights obligations.
The Michigan congressman linked Kanu’s continued detention to what he described as persistent persecution of Christians in Nigeria, alleging that the country has become one of the most dangerous places for Christians.
“Since 2019, tens of thousands of Christians in Nigeria have been slaughtered as part of a sustained pattern of religiously motivated violence by Islamist jihadis ignored or enabled by the Nigerian government,” James said.
He further alleged that terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram, have continued their operations without an effective response from Nigerian authorities.
Referring to Kanu’s prosecution, James described the IPOB leader as someone who was convicted after what he termed an unfair trial for speaking against the killings.
“I implore my colleagues to support my bill, H.Res. 1321, calling on the Nigerian government to conduct another trial in accordance with its own constitution based on evidence with access to legal counsel, medical care, and international law pertaining to humane conditions of detention, or better yet, release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally,” James said.
The US lawmaker also questioned continued American financial assistance to Nigeria, insisting that Washington should not ignore allegations of attacks on Christians.
“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” James said, adding that the US had a moral obligation to ensure Christians in Nigeria could worship freely.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being convicted on terrorism-related charges in a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho.
The IPOB leader is being held at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and his subsequent return to Nigeria.
The resolution sponsored by James also references the July 20, 2022 opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded that Kanu’s detention breached international human rights obligations and recommended his release along with appropriate remedies.
