A coalition led by the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) and Rising Sun & Ambassadors for Self Defense has urged the United States to re-designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over escalating insecurity, human rights violations, and religious persecution.
During a visit to Capitol Hill, Washington D.C., the group met with US lawmakers, highlighting atrocities by bandits and herdsmen, particularly against Christian communities in Nigeria. They also demanded the unconditional release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021.
AVID President Dr. Sylvester Onyia and other delegates decried the government’s failure to protect citizens, warning that jihadist groups are displacing indigenous people and threatening national stability.
They cited the 2017 killing of 27 peaceful Igbo protesters during Trump’s inauguration and recent attacks as signs of systemic ethnic and religious cleansing.
Kanu’s international lawyer, Bruce Fein, accused Nigeria of violating 16 international human rights treaties and called for sanctions, trade restrictions, and suspension from the UN General Assembly until Kanu is released.
The group also criticized Britain’s silence, urged Southeast governors to form vigilante groups, and warned of mass migration if the crisis persists. “Kanu is not the problem—he’s part of the solution,” they said.