Justice or Injustice? Examining the Legal Battles Surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and His Quest for Biafran Self-Determination

 Justice or Injustice? Examining the Legal Battles Surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and His Quest for Biafran Self-Determination  “When injustic...

 Justice or Injustice? Examining the Legal Battles Surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and His Quest for Biafran Self-Determination 

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” This timeless quote, often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, captures the spirit of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s non-violence  and the larger Biafran agitation that continues to shake the very foundation of Nigeria’s so-called democracy. Kanu’s ordeal is not just a personal struggle, it is a mirror exposing the deep cracks in Nigeria’s justice system, the hypocrisy of its government, and the unhealed wounds of a nation still haunted by the ghost of Biafra.

The story of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is no longer just about Biafra, it is now also a test of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law. Arrested in 2015 for broadcasting in Radio Biafra and peacefully calling for a referendum, Kanu was accused of treasonable felony. Yet, his real offense in the eyes of the Nigerian state was daring to challenge the status quo and give voice to millions of marginalized Igbo people.

After spending over a year in detention against court orders, Kanu was granted bail in 2017 under harsh conditions. But instead of allowing justice to run its course, the Nigerian military stormed his residence in Afaraukwu during “Operation Python Dance,” killing unarmed civilians and forcing Kanu into exile. That was not law enforcement, it was a state-sponsored assault.

The most outrageous violation came in June 2021 when Kanu was abducted in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in what has now been globally condemned as extraordinary rendition, an illegal act under both international and Nigerian laws. There was no extradition process. No hearing. No transparency. The Nigeria government kidnapped a man from another sovereign state and paraded him like a trophy. This was not justice; it was a criminal operation disguised as statecraft.

Even the Nigerian Court of Appeal ruled in October 2022 that the federal government had no legal basis to prosecute Kanu since his rendition violated due process. Yet, the Buhari-led administration, and now the Tinubu government, have refused to obey court orders, proving that in Nigeria, the government only obeys the law when it serves its interest.

Despite multiple judgments from both domestic and international courts demanding his release, the Nigerian government continues to detain Kanu at the DSS facility in Abuja. They have cited “national security” concerns, but this excuse is as hollow as the institutions upholding it.

What national security threat does an unarmed man with a microphone pose? Boko Haram commanders have been released and rehabilitated. Niger Delta militants were offered amnesty and billions in contracts. But Kanu who never picked up arms, is held like a war criminal.

Why are Biafrans nation treated with such disdain?

The government’s treatment of Nnamdi Kanu reveals Nigeria’s dangerous double standards. When bandits, Fulani herdsmen, and terrorists kill innocents in the North and Middle Belt, they are negotiated with, granted pardons, or simply ignored. But when an Igbo man demands freedom through a microphone, he is hunted like a wild animal.

These actions are not just injustices against Kanu, they are indictments of a federal system that claims to be united but treats one region as a conquered territory. The continued persecution of IPOB and its leadership exposes the deep ethnic bias within Nigeria’s security architecture and political elite.

The silence of the international community is deafening. Countries that preach democracy and human rights have looked away as Nigeria commits flagrant violations of international law. Kanu’s illegal rendition from Kenya was a breach of sovereignty and should have attracted sanctions. But because the victims are Igbo and the agitator is Biafran, the world shrugs.

What happened to the United Nations Charter on the Right to Self-Determination? What happened to the African Union’s principles on fair trial and due process? When did geopolitics become more important than human rights?

Nigeria government must understand one truth: No amount of force can crush an idea whose time has come. The continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu is not weakening the Biafran movement, it is strengthening it.

If Nigeria truly desires peace and unity, it must release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally as ordered by the courts, apologize for the illegal rendition, and begin a genuine dialogue with stakeholders in the Southeast.

Justice must not only be done it must be seen to be done. Anything less is tyranny.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu represents more than just a political figure. He is a symbol of resistance against oppression, of hope for the voiceless, and of courage in the face of injustice. His case is a test of whether Nigeria still has any respect for the rule of law or whether it has truly descended into authoritarianism disguised as democracy.

History will remember this moment. The question is, will Nigeria be remembered as a nation that upheld justice, or one that silenced it with guns and gags?

Family Writers Press International