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A United States Congressman, John James, has renewed calls for the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, linking his continued detention to alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The Michigan lawmaker made the appeal on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Thursday while pushing for support for H.Res. 1321, a resolution he introduced on May 22.
The resolution, which is before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, calls on the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu follow constitutional requirements and international human rights standards.
Speaking during the session, James accused the Nigerian government of failing to adequately address attacks on Christians, alleging that thousands have been killed in religiously motivated violence since 2019.
“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 also criticised the activities of extremist groups, including Boko Haram, claiming that they operate without sufficient action from authorities.
On Kanu’s case, James described the IPOB leader as a victim of an unfair trial and called for either a new trial or his immediate release.
“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,” he said.
The congressman also warned that continued US financial support for Nigeria would face scrutiny.
“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” James said, adding that the US has a responsibility to protect religious freedom.
Recall that on November 20, 2025, Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment by a High Court in Abuja after being convicted on terrorism charges. He is currently being held at the Sokoto State Correctional Facility.
The resolution referenced a July 20, 2022 opinion by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which stated that Kanu’s detention violated international human rights obligations and recommended his release.
