The detained leader of the
Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, has urged the British
Government to intervene in his case by asking President Muhammadu Buhari to
release him from prison.
Kanu who is facing treason charge alongside two other
pro-Biafra agitators, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, approached the
British government through his lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor. Kanu, in a letter
dated March 24 and addressed to the British High Commissioner in Abuja,
described himself as a victim of travesty of justice and gross human rights
violation.
He insisted that the President Buhari-led administration has
violently abused his fundamental human rights through his prolonged detention
in prison custody.
Even though Kanu said he was ready to answer to the charge
against him, he however expressed doubt in the ability of the Nigerian
government to accord him fair trial, saying he has so far been subjected to
immense persecution.
Stressing that he is a British
citizen, Kanu told the UK government that he was wrongly arrested and put in
detention. “It is repeating the obvious to state that our client is a full
British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all Rights,
Privileges and Protection, guaranteed under the British Laws and conventions.
“We are therefore constrained in the
circumstance, to formally notify the British Government via this medium, of our
well informed reservations, and apprehension, that our client is undergoing
persecution in the charge above referred, and deliberate design by the
persecutors to frustrate every effort of the Defense team aimed at giving our
client a fair trial”. Kanu, through his lawyer, contended that his detention
from October 14, 2015 till January 20, 2016, without any lawful order of court,
was not only unlawful, but was in flagrant disobedience of orders of courts of
competent jurisdiction which he said directed his unconditional release and
discharge.
“It is the position of our Law, that
dual citizenship is a constitutional right of the citizens of Nigeria, clearly
provided for under section 28 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria as amended in 2011. Dual citizenship is not a crime under our Law.
“Our reservations on the President’s
comment was underpinned by the findings made in the ruling delivered on
February 29, 2016, by Hon. Justice John Tsoho, wherein our client and the two other
defendants were denied bail. “Recalled that on December 29, 2015, during the
Presidential Media Chat, the President told the whole world that Nnamdi Kanu
cannot be granted bail, alleging that he came into the country without a valid
travelling passport.
“This pronouncement was roundly condemned by both local
and international commentators. His pronouncement was viewed as a clear
usurpation of the functions and powers of the judiciary. “Though very
regrettable and extremely unfortunate, Nnamdi Kanu was refused bail on January
29, 2016. In refusing him and other defendants bail, the court also cited the
facts of his possession of dual passports as a flight risk, and as such held
that he cannot be granted bail.” Kanu maintained that Justice Tsoho denied him
bail “in line with the pronouncement of the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria in his media chat telecasted live on December 29,
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Kanu sorry o. We shall continue to fight the battle. You must be released unconditionally on Biafra we stand. Some of us told you that time that you dont have what it takes to fight govt. you were been deceived and misled to beleive we are not Genuine Ndigbo
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