U.S.-based pro-Igbo organizations have rejected claims that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, orchestrated a plan to bomb the United States and British diplomatic missions in Nigeria, calling the allegation a fabrication meant to malign his character.

The groups—speaking at a joint press conference—include the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Rising Sun, and Ambassador for Self-Determination. Their representatives, Dr. Sylvester Onyia, Rev. Fr. Augustine Odimmegwa, and Ben Nwankwo, said the accusation appeared only in the written judgment of Justice James Omotosho and was never formally charged or supported by evidence during the trial.

They argued that the defense was denied the opportunity to challenge the allegation, undermining the integrity of the judicial process. The organizations highlighted Kanu’s documented peaceful engagement with the United States, including his support for U.S. political events such as the 2017 Trump Solidarity Rally in Port Harcourt and his attendance at a Trump campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2020.

The coalition plans to publish the full court transcripts to show that the alleged bomb plot was not part of the trial proceedings. They also intend to appeal the judgment, petition the National Judicial Council, and engage U.S. and U.K. authorities to debunk the claim.

“The attempt to paint Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a man who planned to bomb US and UK missions is a fallacy, not from a court of law. It is a stain on the judgment. It is a stain on the court. And unless it is decisively rejected, it will remain a stain on the Nigerian judiciary,” the groups said.

They warned that the judge’s narrative undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary and suggested that courts may be misused to target political opponents. The organizations pledged to pursue transparency and legal action to uphold fairness and the rule of law.