A US lawmaker has called on Nigeria to release detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu or face potential reductions in American assistance.
Republican Representative John James of Michigan made the appeal during a House plenary session while seeking support for House Resolution 1321, which he introduced on May 22.
The measure, currently before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, urges Nigeria to ensure all legal proceedings involving Kanu comply with the country’s constitution and internationally recognised human rights standards.
James argued that Kanu should either receive a fresh trial in line with constitutional provisions or be released unconditionally. He linked the IPOB leader’s prosecution to broader concerns over the treatment of Christians in Nigeria and criticised what he described as an inadequate response to attacks by extremist groups including Boko Haram.
“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” James told fellow lawmakers.
He added that the United States has a moral responsibility to defend religious freedom so that Christians in Nigeria can practise their faith without fear. The resolution also recommends that Kanu be granted unrestricted access to legal representation, adequate medical care and humane detention conditions pending the outcome of his case.
IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful welcomed the intervention, describing it as a significant development and expressing hope that it would prompt Nigerian authorities to reconsider the matter.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 on terrorism-related charges and is currently held at Sokoto Prison while appealing the judgment. The Federal Government has maintained that his prosecution followed due process and remains before the courts. The Presidency had not issued an official response at the time of the report.
