A member of the United States House of Representatives, John James, has renewed his call for the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, urging the Nigerian government to either grant him a fresh trial or free him unconditionally.
James made the appeal during a speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, where he linked Kanu's continued detention to his broader concerns over the treatment of Christians in Nigeria.
The Michigan congressman referenced House Resolution 1321, which he introduced on May 22, 2026. The resolution urges the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu comply with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards. The measure is currently awaiting consideration by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Addressing fellow lawmakers, James alleged that Nigeria had become one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, claiming that tens of thousands had been killed since 2019 in attacks by extremist groups.
"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," he said.
The lawmaker further alleged that terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram, have continued to operate without an adequate response from Nigerian authorities.
Speaking on Kanu's case, James described the IPOB leader as someone who had been punished for speaking out about the killings of Christians. He argued that Kanu, who is serving a life sentence on terrorism-related charges, should either be retried in line with constitutional and international legal standards or be released.
"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.
James also questioned continued US financial assistance to Nigeria, saying American support should not continue without scrutiny.
"America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide," he said, adding that the United States has a responsibility to defend religious freedom.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being convicted on terrorism charges. He has remained in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre since his extradition to Nigeria following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021.
The resolution being promoted by James also cites the July 20, 2022 opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded that Kanu's detention violated international human rights obligations and recommended his release, along with appropriate remedies.
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