Nnamdi Kanu’s International Lawyer Warns Nigerian Judge: ‘Drop Terrorism Charges or Face ICC Prosecution’

A fresh twist has emerged in the trial of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as his international counsel, Bruce Fein, has written to Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, demanding an immediate dismissal of all terrorism-related charges against his client.

In a strongly worded letter dated October 28, 2025, titled “Dismissal of Prosecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for Lack of Jurisdiction,” Fein accused the Nigerian government of violating both domestic and international laws through Kanu’s continued detention and prosecution.

Fein warned Justice Omotosho that by proceeding with the case, he could be “legally implicated” in the alleged crimes committed by the Nigerian government, including “kidnapping, torture, and extraordinary rendition.”

“No government should profit from its own criminality,” Fein wrote. “If you refrain from dismissing all outstanding charges against Mr. Kanu for lack of jurisdiction, you will be legally implicated in the crimes perpetrated by the Government of Nigeria.”

The American lawyer cited the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which, in its July 2022 opinion, described Kanu’s rendition from Kenya as illegal and ordered his “immediate and unconditional release.”

He further referenced a 1928 U.S. Supreme Court ruling by Justice Louis D. Brandeis, warning that “a government that breaks its own laws breeds contempt for law and invites anarchy.”

Kanu has consistently refused to enter a defence, maintaining that the Nigerian government has no jurisdiction to try him. The federal government recently closed its case, and the court has adjourned proceedings to November 4, 2025, for further hearing.

Fein’s intervention adds international pressure on Nigeria’s judiciary amid growing calls for Kanu’s release, with human rights groups arguing that his continued detention undermines the rule of law.