Killings: US Urged to Reclassify Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern, Demand Kanu’s Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Amid a growing outcry over escalating violence in Nigeria, a coalition of advocacy groups led by the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has called on the United States to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). The call was made during a visit to Capitol Hill, where the delegation also lobbied for the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
AVID, joined by the Rising Sun & Ambassadors for Self Defense, met with members of the US Congress, decrying the unchecked killings by bandits and herdsmen across Nigeria, which they described as acts of ethnic cleansing and religious persecution.
Dr. Sylvester Onyia, President of AVID, highlighted continued human rights abuses, citing government inaction against armed groups and recalling past killings, including the 2017 incident where 27 Biafra agitators were gunned down in Port Harcourt while celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“We are asking the US to act. Innocent youths were celebrating democracy and were slaughtered like animals. Nigeria must be held accountable,” Onyia said.
The delegation emphasized that Kanu’s prolonged solitary confinement following his 2021 abduction and extradition from Kenya reflects broader systemic injustice. They argued that he represents a solution, not a threat, to Nigeria’s challenges.
Rev. Father Augustine Odimegwa, a member of the team, accused the British government of complicity, pointing out Kanu’s UK citizenship and the silence from Britain regarding his detention.
“It is troubling that the British Government hasn’t spoken out about the illegal detention of its own citizen,” Odimegwa said. He also warned of a growing jihadist threat in Nigeria’s South East, which could jeopardize US and Western energy interests if left unchecked.
The delegation referenced recent remarks by Nigeria’s Director of State Security Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, who advised citizens to defend themselves—a statement they say confirms Nigeria’s slide toward failed-state status.
“When your intelligence chief tells people to protect themselves, it shows the government has failed in its most basic duty—protecting lives and property,” Odimegwa noted.
AVID urged South East Governors to act swiftly by establishing community-based vigilantes and clearing criminal elements from regional forests.
They also warned that inaction could result in the expansion of armed groups to Nigeria’s oil-rich regions, posing direct threats to international stakeholders.
