The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) have written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, requesting for the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. The letter, signed by AVID President Dr. Sylvester Onyia and Secretary Dr. Godson Obiagwu, urged the Nigerian government to comply with multiple court rulings and international directives that have declared Kanu’s detention illegal and unjust. AVID’s request is based on several legal rulings and international human rights decisions that have condemned Kanu’s detention and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021. The letter highlighted key judicial pronouncements from Nigerian courts and international bodies, all of which have ruled in favor of Kanu’s release.
The group recalled that on October 26, 2022, the Federal High Court of Nigeria ruled that Kanu’s arrest and detention were illegal. “The court held that his extradition from Kenya was unlawful and that his continued detention in Abuja violated his fundamental human rights.
The ruling explicitly condemned the Nigerian government’s actions,” AVID stated. It noted that despite the ruling, the Nigerian government had continued to detain Kanu, a move AVID described as unconstitutional and in defiance of Nigeria’s judicial system. AVID’s letter further references the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s decision in December 2023, which, while remanding Kanu’s case to the Federal High Court for trial, also acknowledged the circumstances surrounding his initial detention.
The group recalled that the Supreme Court condemned the government’s military invasion of Kanu’s home, which forced him to flee Nigeria.
The apex court ruled that the government’s subsequent actions — seeking his rearrest and extradition under the pretense that he had “jumped bail” — were unjust and deceptive. According to the group, the ruling acknowledged that Kanu’s absence from court was not voluntary but necessitated by the actions of the Nigerian military, making his continued detention unjustifiable.
AVID also cited the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which issued a landmark opinion in July 2022. The UN body directed the Nigerian government to immediately release Kanu and provide him with compensation for his unlawful extradition and detention. The letter emphasised that, as a member of the United Nations and a signatory to international human rights treaties, Nigeria is legally bound to comply with the UN directive.
AVID argued that the Nigerian government’s failure to adhere to these obligations undermines its credibility on the international stage and raises concerns about its commitment to human rights and the rule of law. Beyond the legal and human rights considerations, AVID asserted that Kanu’s continued detention had escalated from a judicial matter to a political issue, one that requires urgent intervention by President Tinubu.
The group urged the President to restore Kanu’s bail or discontinue his prosecution altogether in the interest of justice and national stability.
The group said, “Suffice it to say that there is no gainsaying that this matter has transformed from the legal or judicial to the political, which is within the executive province and prerogatives of President Tinubu. And as the saying goes, the buck stops at the President’s table.”
The letter concludes by appealing to President Tinubu’s sense of justice and leadership, calling on him to uphold the rule of law by ordering Kanu’s immediate release.
AVID warned that ignoring court rulings and international directives sets a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy and justice system. It argued that the government’s actions in Kanu’s case could erode public trust in the judiciary and damage Nigeria’s international reputation.
The group also suggested that resolving Kanu’s case peacefully could ease tensions in the Southeast region of Nigeria, where his continued detention has fueled unrest.
AVID urged President Tinubu to take decisive action to prevent further division and instability. AVID’s open letter serves as both a legal argument and a moral plea for justice.
By citing multiple court rulings, international mandates, and Nigeria’s constitutional obligations, the group makes a compelling case for Kanu’s immediate release.
The letter underscores the urgency of the matter and calls on President Tinubu to act swiftly to rectify what it describes as a grave injustice. “While thanking you for your anticipated sound discretion in halting this grave injustice, please permit us to also assure you of our abiding regards for your high office,” AVID stated.
