John James, the Republican lawmaker representing Michigan in the US House of Representatives, made the appeal during a session on the floor of the House while seeking support for House Resolution 1321, a measure he introduced on May 22. The resolution is currently before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and asks the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu align with Nigeria's constitutional requirements and international human rights standards.
While addressing his colleagues, James said Kanu should be given either a new trial that complies fully with constitutional provisions, including access to legal counsel, medical care and humane detention conditions, or be released without conditions. He argued that the handling of Kanu's case raised questions about due process and linked it to broader concerns he has expressed about religious freedom in Nigeria.
The congressman also claimed that communities in Nigeria have faced sustained attacks over several years and criticized what he described as an insufficient response by authorities to violence attributed to extremist groups, including Boko Haram. While making his case, he stated that the United States provides significant assistance to Nigeria and added that Washington should not continue funding where serious rights concerns exist. He urged members of Congress to support the resolution to encourage adherence to legal and humanitarian standards.
The resolution references 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 with appropriate remedies.
Reacting to the development, the Indigenous People of Biafra, through its spokesperson Emma Powerful, welcomed the intervention. In a statement issued on Friday, Powerful described the move as a notable step that shows increasing international attention on Kanu's case and expressed hope that it would lead to a reconsideration by Nigerian authorities.
IPOB, which is seeking self determination for the South-East and parts of the South-South region, was proscribed by the Federal Government over allegations linked to national security.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being convicted on terrorism-related charges. Reports indicate he is currently serving his sentence at the correctional facility in Sokoto while his legal team pursues an appeal. He was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and subsequently returned to Nigeria to face trial.
The Federal Government has maintained that Kanu's trial followed due legal process and that the matter remains within the jurisdiction of the courts. As of the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Presidency regarding the comments made by the American lawmaker.
