Kanu’s Family Urges UK To Push For Appeal Hearing

The Okwu-Kanu Family has urged the British Government to make use of its diplomatic affect to press Nigerian authorities for an instantaneous listening to of Nnamdi Kanu’s enchantment towards his life sentence conviction, which it says has remained unlisted and unheard because it was filed in June 2026.

The household, in a press release dated October 18 and signed by Prince Emmanuel Kanu on its behalf, additionally known as on the UK to clarify the steps it has taken to deal with the authorized issues surrounding the conviction of the detained chief of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

It mentioned Kanu’s enchantment was filed and served in June 2026 however had but to be listed for listening to, including that no respondent’s transient had been filed as of the date of the assertion.

The household additionally raised issues a few separate Supreme Court course of filed and served in November 2025, which it mentioned had not produced the substantive response it was searching for.

It urged the British Government to maneuver past diplomatic engagements and take concrete steps in direction of securing a immediate listening to of the enchantment.

“Diplomatic contact is not the same as effective protection. A record of meetings is not proof that justice has been secured,” the assertion mentioned.

The household mentioned Britain had acknowledged Kanu’s case and beforehand engaged Nigerian authorities however argued that the efforts had not secured a listening to of his enchantment or addressed the problems it had raised regarding his detention and conviction.

Kanu, a British citizen, is serving a life sentence following his conviction in November 2025. The household maintains that the authorized foundation for the conviction is questionable as a result of, in keeping with its interpretation, the related laws had been repealed.

It argued that the authorities ought to establish the particular provisions of present written regulation defining the offences and prescribing the penalties imposed on him.

The household cited Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, which supplies that an individual can’t be convicted of a prison offence until the offence and its penalty are prescribed in a written regulation.

“In Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, neither the prosecution nor the trial judge identified an identical, applicable provision of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 defining each offence and prescribing the penalty imposed,” it alleged.

The household known as on the Nigerian authorities to establish the authorized provisions underpinning the conviction, whereas asking Britain whether or not it had formally raised the problem with the Federal Government.

It additionally questioned Kanu’s continued detention following the Court of Appeal’s October 2022 choice discharging him and quashing the counts towards him.

According to the household, Kanu remained in custody after the choice and was subsequently prosecuted and convicted in November 2025 on counts it mentioned had beforehand been quashed.

It additional criticised the Federal Government’s use of a civil keep of execution, obtained 14 days after the appellate courtroom’s choice, arguing that the method affected the operation of the discharge.

The household known as on the British Government to clarify what representations it had made in regards to the continued detention and subsequent prosecution of Kanu after the Court of Appeal’s ruling.

It additionally requested whether or not his case had been referred to the UK’s Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions, Alistair Burt, appointed in July 2026 to offer further consideration to troublesome circumstances involving British nationals detained abroad.

“If not, will the Foreign Secretary refer it urgently and ensure that it receives the senior-level attention the role was created to provide?” the assertion requested.

The household described the consular contact it mentioned Kanu had obtained as insufficient, claiming that calls to test on his meals and well being occurred for about 10 minutes each three to 4 months.

It argued that such contact was inadequate given the life sentence, the unresolved authorized questions and the delay in listening to his enchantment.

The household additionally linked its issues to Britain’s historic position in the course of the Nigerian Civil War, accusing the British Government of supporting the Federal Military Government whereas publicly advocating peace and restraint.

It cited a United States intelligence estimate dated August 12, 1969, and proceedings within the British House of Commons on November 17, 1969, as a part of its argument about Britain’s arms coverage in the course of the battle.

The household mentioned it believed Britain’s historic place on Biafra was related to its present response to Kanu’s case, whereas urging the UK to show its dedication to the rule of regulation by concrete motion.

It careworn, nevertheless, that it was not asking Britain to find out the result of Kanu’s enchantment however to make use of its diplomatic channels to press for a immediate listening to and a lawful decision.

Among the questions it needs the British Government to reply are whether or not it considers the delay in listening to the enchantment a critical due-process concern, what particular representations it has made to Nigerian authorities and what additional steps it intends to take.