Abstract:
This study investigated the reactions of Internet users hereafter referred to as netizens to the extraordinary
rendition from Kenya of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) secessionist group, Mazi
Nnamdi Kanu by the General Mohammadu Buhari’s civilian administration and the implications for his
administration. The study adopted the Interest Theory of Human Rights to explain the reactions of the
netizens, and the government, and used the context theory to explain how they defined the arrest and
detention of Kanu as well as the response of the government of Nigeria to social media messages. Data
were generated through a qualitative literature review, while a purposive sampling technique was
deployed to pick Twitter as the social media to focus on and 10 tweets were selected for the study.
Findings show that netizens’ reactions portrayed the action of the Nigerian government negatively as an
abuser of human rights. However, this did not influence the government to release Kanu despite the
deadline of six months given by the United Nations Human Rights Body for his release unconditionally.
Further studies is recommended at the end of the UN deadline to ascertain measures taken by the
international body to protect the rights of Kanu and how Nigeria fared with the dent on her image.
