Nnamdi Kanu Writes Trump, Cites ‘Judeo-Christian Genocide’ in Nigeria and Names High-Level Suspects

Date: 6 November 2025
By Steve Oko (Vanguard)

In a letter dated 6 November 2025, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in what he describes as a “hidden genocide” of Judeo-Christians in Nigeria’s South-East region. Vanguard News+1

Key Allegations & Named Individuals

In his open letter, delivered through his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu described himself as “a practising Jew and a believer in the Judeo-Christian heritage”. He wrote: “Your bold declaration on 31 October 2025—that the United States is ‘prepared to act’ militarily and cut aid if Nigeria fails to protect its Christian population—has ignited hope in the hearts of millions who have been abandoned by the world.” Vanguard News+1

He further alleged that the violence is not limited to Nigeria’s North, but has “metastasised into the Igbo heartland” where “Judeo-Christians are being systematically exterminated under the guise of counter-terrorism.” Vanguard News+1

Among the names cited as suspects or responsible persons were:

• Lt‑Gen Tukur Buratai (Ambassador to Benin), who Kanu calls out for alleged complicity in military operations against the Igbo Christian populace. Vanguard News+1
• Yusuf Bichi, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), whom Kanu asks the U.S. to sanction under the Magnitsky Act for his role in alleged state-sponsored atrocities. Vanguard News
• Military commanders in the South-East (not individually named) said to be implicated in the Obigbo incident and other operations. The Guardian Nigeria+1

Specific Events Cited

In his letter, Kanu referenced multiple incidents:

• The “Nkpor Biafra Heroes Day Massacre – 30 May 2016” cited via an Amnesty International note. Vanguard News+1
• The killing of 20 IPOB members in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on 20 January 2017 during a pro-Trump rally. Vanguard News
• He claimed over 2,000 Igbo youths were killed in “counter-terrorism” operations between 2021-2025, referring to data from the organisation Intersociety. Prompt News+1

Demands to the U.S. Government

Kanu urged President Trump to:

• Launch a U.S.-led independent inquiry into the alleged “state-sponsored massacres of Judeo-Christians in Eastern Nigeria”, with full access to mass graves, survivor testimonies and military logs. Vanguard News+1
• Impose targeted sanctions under the Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act on the aforementioned individuals and others implicated in the letter. Vanguard News+1
• Support an internationally-supervised referendum on self-determination for the Igbo people, which Kanu described as the only peaceful path to ending the cycle of violence. Vanguard News+1

Context of His Detention

Kanu also used the letter to highlight his own legal and detention saga: he claimed he was abducted from Kenya in June 2021, illegally transported to Nigeria and placed in solitary detention. He cited the Kenyan High Court ruling in Petition No. E282 of 2021 as evidence of unlawful rendition. Vanguard News+1

He noted that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in case CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022, acquitted him of all charges and ordered his release on 13 October 2022, yet he remains in custody. He referenced the opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (Opinion No. 25/2022) declaring his detention “arbitrary, unlawful and politically motivated”. Vanguard News+1

Reaction & Stakes

The letter raises a significant challenge to the Nigerian state’s narrative on insecurity, especially in the South-East. Kanu’s accusations place high-ranking military and intelligence officers under international scrutiny for alleged grave human rights abuses.

At the same time, his linkage of this alleged violence to the broader issue of Igbo self-determination and the call for a referendum adds a fresh dimension to Nigeria’s internal security and political dynamics.

As of press time, neither the U.S. White House nor the Nigerian Presidency has publicly responded to Kanu’s plea. The Guardian Nigeria+1

Why This Matters

• The letter re-opens the debate on how Nigeria labels and prosecutes groups and individuals based on region, faith and ethnicity.
• It underscores how external pressure—particularly from the U.S.—may shape Nigeria’s internal human rights and security policies.
• The naming of specific officials invites legal and diplomatic action beyond Nigerian borders, including sanctions or investigations.
• It raises the spectre of renewed secessionist agitation in the South-East, with Kanu linking alleged violence to the demand for a referendum.

🕊️ Key Allegations & Timeline from Nnamdi Kanu’s Letter to Donald Trump

Letter Date: 6 November 2025
Delivered by: Barr. Aloy Ejimakor (Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu)
Recipient: Donald J. Trump, Former U.S. President

⚖️ Named Individuals / Institutions Cited
Category
Name
Allegation / Context
Military
Lt-Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.)
Alleged complicity in military operations that targeted Judeo-Christian Igbo civilians during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff.
Intelligence
Yusuf Magaji Bichi, DG of DSS
Accused of overseeing unlawful detention and persecution of pro-Biafra agitators.
Security Agencies
Unnamed South-East Military Commanders
Implicated in “Obigbo 2020” and other operations allegedly leading to mass killings of Igbo Christians.
Federal Government of Nigeria
(Institutional)
Accused of covering up evidence of massacres and ignoring UN reports on rights abuses.

📅 Timeline of Events Referenced
Year
Event
Description
2016 – Nkpor Massacre
Soldiers allegedly killed dozens of IPOB supporters marking Biafra Heroes Day in Anambra State. (Cited: Amnesty Intl.)

2017 – Port Harcourt Killings
Over 20 pro-Biafra supporters shot dead during a rally supporting then-U.S. President Trump.

2020 – Obigbo Incident (Rivers State)
Military “counter-operations” allegedly left hundreds dead and many missing; Amnesty and Intersociety reports cited.

2021 – Kanu’s Abduction
Kanu alleges extraordinary rendition from Kenya; Kenyan High Court later ruled the process illegal.

2022 – Court of Appeal Ruling
Nigerian Court of Appeal ordered his release; UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called detention “unlawful.”

2025 – Trump’s Statement (31 Oct)
Trump warns U.S. may act if Nigeria fails to protect Christians — prompting Kanu’s letter.


📜 Kanu’s Demands to the U.S. Government
U.S.-led inquiry into alleged state-sponsored massacres of Judeo-Christians in Nigeria’s South-East.
Magnitsky Act sanctions against Buratai, Bichi, and implicated officers.
Support for a UN-supervised referendum on Igbo self-determination.
Public U.S. statement acknowledging ongoing persecution of Nigerian Judeo-Christians.

Quote from the Letter:
“The killings are not acts of rogue elements but an orchestrated campaign to cleanse the Igbo nation of its Judeo-Christian identity. We ask for truth, not vengeance; justice, not pity.” — Nnamdi Kanu, 6 November 2025

Source: Vanguard News, 6 Nov 2025, The Cable NG, 6 Nov 2025, Premium Times, 6 Nov 2025

Editor’s note: All items above are presented as allegations made by Nnamdi Kanu in his letter and attributed to the cited reports.