The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has faulted the British government over what it described as glaring double standards in the protection of its citizens abroad, citing the contrast between London’s swift intervention in the case of British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah and its perceived silence on the continued detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued on Sunday by IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group said the United Kingdom demonstrated decisive diplomatic resolve in securing Abd el-Fattah’s release and return home, but has shown little urgency regarding Kanu, a British-Nigerian citizen who has remained in custody in Nigeria since 2021.
IPOB referenced remarks by British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who publicly described Abd el-Fattah’s return on December 26 as a “profound relief” and a top government priority. The group argued that no comparable commitment has been extended to Kanu, despite his detention following what it termed an unlawful rendition from Kenya to Nigeria.
According to IPOB, Kanu has endured years of limited consular engagement, notwithstanding allegations of extraordinary rendition, torture and prolonged detention in breach of international law. The group accused Britain of failing to exert meaningful pressure on Nigeria to comply with multiple court decisions that it said ordered Kanu’s release.
The statement cited rulings by Nigerian courts, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and a Kenyan High Court, all of which IPOB claimed declared Kanu’s arrest, transfer and continued incarceration unlawful.
IPOB further criticised Kanu’s continued imprisonment following what it described as a controversial Federal High Court judgment delivered in November 2025, which imposed a life sentence. The group maintained that the conviction relied on repealed legislation and disregarded binding appellate decisions.
Beyond the legal arguments, IPOB linked Britain’s posture to longstanding historical grievances, alleging that the UK’s foreign policy still reflects systemic bias against the Igbo people and the Biafran self-determination movement.
The group called on the United Nations, African Union, European Union and the United States to intensify diplomatic pressure on Nigeria to secure Kanu’s release. It also urged the British government to demonstrate consistency by applying the same level of advocacy and urgency it showed in Abd el-Fattah’s case.
IPOB concluded that justice must be even-handed, stressing that no British citizen should be treated differently on the basis of religion, political beliefs or geography.
