A member of the United States House of Representatives, Congressman John James, has renewed calls for the immediate release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, linking his continued detention to what he described as worsening religious persecution against Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, the Michigan lawmaker urged the Nigerian government to either grant Kanu a fresh trial that complies with constitutional and international human rights standards or release him unconditionally.
James made the appeal while referencing H.Res. 1321, a resolution he introduced on May 22, 2026, urging the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu conform to Nigeria’s Constitution and international human rights obligations. The resolution is currently before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Describing Nigeria as “the deadliest place on Earth to be a Christian,” the congressman alleged that tens of thousands of Christians had been killed since 2019 in attacks carried out by Islamist extremists.
“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 claimed that terrorist groups, including Boko Haram, continue to operate without an adequate response from Nigerian authorities.
Turning to Kanu’s case, James described the IPOB leader as someone who was punished for speaking out against the killings, arguing that his conviction was unjust.
According to him, Kanu, who is serving a life sentence on terrorism charges, deserves a constitutionally compliant retrial with full access to legal representation, medical care and humane conditions of detention.
“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 questioned continued U.S. financial assistance to Nigeria, warning that American support should not continue without addressing concerns over religious violence.
“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” James stated, insisting that the United States has a moral responsibility to defend religious freedom.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, after being convicted on terrorism-related charges.
The IPOB leader has remained in custody since his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and subsequent extradition to Nigeria. He is currently being held at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
James also cited the July 20, 2022, opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded that Kanu’s detention violated international human rights standards and recommended his release, alongside appropriate remedies.