US Congressman John James has urged Nigeria to release Nnamdi Kanu or grant him a fresh trial under H.Res. 1321, warning that continued detention could trigger a push to cut US aid to Nigeria.

A United States congressman has threatened to push for cuts to American aid to Nigeria if the federal government does not release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is currently serving a life sentence at Sokoto prison on terrorism charges.

John James, who represents Michigan in the US House of Representatives, made the call during plenary of the lower chamber on Thursday while canvassing support for H.Res. 1321, a resolution he introduced on May 22 that is currently before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

James calls the trial a “farce” and links Kanu’s case to Christian persecution

James alleged that Kanu’s prosecution formed part of a broader pattern of persecution against Christians in Nigeria, making sweeping claims about the security situation in the country.

“Since 2019, tens of thousands of Christians in Nigeria have been slaughtered as part of a sustained pattern of religiously motivated violence by Islamist jihadists ignored or enabled by the Nigerian government,” he said.

The congressman alleged that extremist groups such as Boko Haram have operated without meaningful resistance from Nigerian authorities. He described Kanu as “a courageous figure” and claimed he was convicted following a “farce show trial” for speaking out against the killings.

“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 about humane conditions of detention, or better yet, release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally,” James said.

Aid threat: “We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide”

James suggested the United States should reconsider its financial support to Nigeria if Kanu is not released, framing the matter as one of moral obligation.

“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” he said.

He added that the US has a moral obligation to ensure Christians in Nigeria are able to worship freely.

What H.Res. 1321 demands

The resolution before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Kanu comply with Nigeria’s constitutional obligations and international human rights commitments. James is also asking the federal government to conduct a fresh trial on Kanu in line with Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights best practices.

IPOB welcomes the intervention

In a statement issued on Friday, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful welcomed James’s intervention, describing it as a significant development in the group’s campaign for Kanu’s release.

“We commend Congressman John James for his courage and the United States Congress for providing the platform,” the statement reads.

Powerful said the call reflected growing international attention to Kanu’s case and expressed hope that it would encourage the Nigerian government to review the matter.

Background

Nnamdi Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 after being convicted on terrorism charges. He is currently serving his sentence at Sokoto prison pending the determination of his appeal. IPOB, which Kanu leads, is a separatist group seeking an independent state of Biafra in Nigeria’s south-east and parts of the south-south region. The group was proscribed by the Nigerian government in 2017.

James’s intervention follows a pattern of growing US congressional scrutiny of Nigeria, including the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 introduced by Congressman Chris Smith and co-sponsored by Riley Moore, which similarly ties US security assistance to Nigeria’s handling of religious violence.

If H.Res. 1321 advances and gains traction alongside the appropriations bill Moore referenced in July, which contains binding language on security assistance to Nigeria, Abuja could face a coordinated legislative push from Washington on multiple fronts ahead of the 2027 general election.