A United States–based advocacy group, the Rising Sun Foundation, has called on the United Kingdom to demand accountability from the Nigerian government over the arrest and detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s expected visit to the UK.
In a statement signed by its president, Dr. Maxwell Dede, the group said the planned meeting between President Tinubu and King Charles III should not proceed without the British government raising what it described as the “unlawful abduction and extraordinary rendition” of Kanu in 2021.
“The only expectation we have is simple and just: that this visit must not pass without the United Kingdom demanding clear answers from the Nigerian authorities regarding the unlawful abduction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement said.
Kanu, who holds British citizenship, was arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and later transferred to Nigeria under circumstances that have continued to attract international attention. While the Nigerian government confirmed his return, it has consistently denied claims that the process amounted to an illegal rendition.
The Rising Sun Foundation said the UK Foreign Office had, over the years, sent several diplomatic communications to Nigeria seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s arrest and transfer, but claimed no “transparent or satisfactory response” had been received.
“For a British citizen travelling on a valid UK passport to be abducted from a third country and rendered to Nigeria without due process is a matter that demands urgent and serious attention,” Dr. Dede said.
The group accused the UK government of failing in its duty of care to one of its citizens, arguing that political and economic interests should not be placed above fundamental human rights. It also raised concerns over what it described as “credible reports” about the aircraft and logistics allegedly used in Kanu’s transfer, suggesting the possibility of international complicity.
According to the foundation, the continued silence of British authorities has deepened public suspicion that powerful international actors may have been aware of, or involved in, the operation that led to Kanu’s return to Nigeria.
The group urged the UK government and the British monarch to use President Tinubu’s visit to seek a full public explanation from Nigerian authorities, clarify the legal basis for Kanu’s arrest in Kenya, and establish an independent inquiry if satisfactory answers are not provided.
“If the United Kingdom wishes to demonstrate that it was not a silent partner in the unlawful abduction of its own citizen, then this visit presents a clear and unavoidable test,” the statement said, adding that “the world is watching and justice demands answers.”
