The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has written a letter to United States President Donald Trump, alleging that the Nigerian Army is conducting mass killings of Christians in the South-East and in Igbo-speaking parts of Benue, Kogi, and Delta States.
The letter, dated November 6, 2025, comes barely 24 hours before his crucial court hearing in Abuja, where he is expected to open his defence or risk forfeiting the right to do so in his ongoing terrorism trial.
In the letter reportedly delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Kanu appealed for what he called “an urgent American-led independent inquiry into state-sponsored massacres of Judeo-Christians in Eastern Nigeria.” He claimed that the Nigerian military had been carrying out “targeted executions and mass burials of civilians” under the guise of counter-insurgency operations.
Kanu alleged that “entire Christian communities” across Igbo-speaking territories were being wiped out and buried in mass graves, accusing the Nigerian state of what he termed “a silent religious genocide.” He urged President Trump to “speak up for the defenseless” and ensure that the United States “launches an investigation with access to mass grave sites, military logs, and survivor testimonies.”
He also referenced recent warnings attributed to President Trump that the U.S. government would “act militarily and cut aid to Nigeria” if Christian persecution persisted, calling on Washington to follow through on that position.
Kanu’s letter has stirred renewed international attention to his long-running trial, which has dragged on for years amid accusations of bias, political interference, and human rights violations. His legal team has insisted that the charges against him—ranging from treasonable felony to terrorism—are politically motivated.
The Federal High Court in Abuja recently gave Kanu a final opportunity to open his defence after years of procedural delays. Justice Binta Nyako warned that failure to do so would result in the court proceeding without his testimony. The next hearing, scheduled for Friday, is expected to determine whether the IPOB leader will take the stand or forfeit that right entirely.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has consistently denied allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that the military’s operations in the South-East are targeted at armed separatists and criminal elements responsible for attacks on security formations and public institutions.
International observers, including Reuters and the Associated Press, have reported a tightening security presence in the South-East region ahead of Friday’s proceedings, as IPOB loyalists and human rights groups intensify calls for Kanu’s release and for international scrutiny of Nigeria’s handling of dissent.
The latest development underscores a growing intersection between Nigeria’s internal security crisis and global politics, with Kanu now framing his struggle in the language of religious freedom and human rights—a move that could invite further diplomatic attention from Washington and other Western capitals.
As the court prepares to sit, all eyes are now on Abuja—and on Washington—to see how this latest plea will shape both the legal battle at home and the international narrative around Kanu’s cause.