Global Silence Over Kanu’s Continued Illegal Detention, Worrisome — IPOB

Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has expressed worry and discomfort over the continued illegal detention of its Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and the silence of the international community and global rights organizations over the sad development.

The pro-Biafra movement urged the international community not to watch idly and allow Kanu to die in custody.

IPOB in a press statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, raised concern over Kanu’s failing health, urging quick global action to secure his release.

The statement made available to Vanguard read:”We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (lPOB), express our displeasure on the silence of United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and ECOWAS as Nigeria grossly disobeys local and international laws regarding the unconditional release of our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU.

“We are saddened as the International Community watches in silence as the health of the leader deteriorates in solitary confinement dungeon of the Nigeria government where he has been held illegally and unlawfully against all UN and Nigeria Court Orders for almost 2 years.

IPOB accused Government of sponsoring insecurity in the South East to create the false impression that the pro-Biafra movement is a violent group.

It also expressed worry over the long adjournment of Kanu’s bail application by the Supreme Court without recourse to his deteriorating health condition.

“Any time his case is coming up either here in Nigeria or outside Nigeria, the Nigerian Government will sponsor multiple killings in the South East so as to ascribe it to IPOB and people will see IPOB as a terrorist organization.

“Both his Application to transfer him to Kuje correctional centre and Application for his bail were all ripe for hearing but the Supreme Court failed to hear them and give bench ruling showing that they are being controlled by the Fulani Government.”

The statement further read:” Recall that in June 2021, Mazi Nnamdi KANU was abducted, detained, and tortured in an undisclosed private residence in Kenya by Nigeria Secret Agents. After eight days, he was blindfolded and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria under gun points in a chattered flight by the Nigeria Government.

“He has arraigned in court blindfolded without legal representation. Irrespective of all these high levels of provocations, IPOB has remained peaceful and chosen the part of the law to seek justice for our leader, Mazi Nnamdi KANU. In July 2021, the UN Working Group on Arbitration ordered the Nigeria Government to unconditionally release our leader with payment of adequate compensation.

“On October 13, 2022, the Appeal Court of Nigeria quashed all pending charges, discharged and acquitted our leader, Mazi Nnamdi KANU. The same Appeal Court barred Nigeria Government from arresting, detaining, or arraigning him in any Nigeria court for similar offences.

“A similar judgment was given in favour of Mazi Nnamdi KANU by Umuahia High Court on October 26, 2022. The Umuahia High Court ruled that the abduction and extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi KANU was unlawful. The Court ordered Nigeria Government to return him to Kenya, apologize, and pay him One Billion Naira (N1 billion) as compensation. The Nigeria Government has flagrantly disobeyed all the court orders, including UN orders.”

According to IPOB, non-compliance with the various court orders “shows that the Nigeria Government is a pariah state where the rule of law is no longer obtainable.”

IPOB alleged that the continued detention of Kanu in custody against court orders and the international convention was a ploy to ultimately make him not return alive.

“We believe that the Nigeria Government wants our leader to die in detention”, IPOB said, alleging that “it is also possible he has been given a slow-acting poison which is why his health keeps deteriorating to eventually kill him”.

” In what we consider a conspiracy to kill our leader, the Nigeria Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court refused to entertain an appeal from Mazi Nnamdi KANU’s lawyers over his deteriorating health. Instead, the Apex Court gave wicked long adjournment of 4 months to an innocent man that Appeal Court Justices have discharged and acquitted”, IPOB lamented.

“In all these human rights and court abuses, there seems to be a conspiratory silence among international organizations and her affiliate human rights organizations.

“Mazi Nnamdi KANU’s continuous illegal detention and torture even after the UN Working Group has ordered his release like Nigeria Appeal Court discharged and acquitted him shows that Nigeria is now above the Local and International Laws. Maybe Nigeria is no longer a signatory to the above International organizations or that these organizations have been lobbied to turn a blind eye to justice as it concerns Mazi Nnamdi KANU, a British citizen, and a Biafran.”

According to IPOB, “the international conspiracy of silence ensued when millions of Biafrans were massacred during 1967-1970 by the then Nigeria and British Governments. That genocide remains the second bloodiest genocide after the Jewish holocaust. Such atrocity cannot be allowed to be repeated.”

IPOB which insisted that Kanu is innocent of all the charges preferred against him, vowed not to abandon him.

“Freedom to Mazi Nnamdi KANU is the freedom of the entire black race. Mazi Nnamdi KANU is not a criminal. He is not a terrorist, nor has he been associated with Nigeria treasury looting, which Nigerian politicians are known for.

“His only crime is a demand for the freedom of the oppressed Biafrans from Nigeria. Self-determination is an inalienable right of Indigenous peoples under the UN charter. The Nigerian government is persecuting Mazi Nnamdi KANU for holding a different political view in his demand for a Biafra referendum and self-determination.”

(Vanguard)