In a heartfelt appeal, Jarvis Johnson, the representative of District 139 in the Texas House of Representatives, has called on US Members of Congress to urgently intervene and pressure the Nigerian government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Johnson's letter, dated May 10, 2023, highlighted the troubling circumstances surrounding Kanu's detention. According to the Representative, Kanu, a British citizen, legally travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, on May 12, 2021. However, on June 19, 2021, Nigerian government agents abducted him and subjected him to eight days of torture before illegally rending him back to Nigeria.
Expressing grave concern, Johnson stated, "There is now growing fear/concern that the Muhammadu Buhari administration intends to assassinate or cause Kanu’s disappearance before May 29 when it plans to hand him over to the incoming administration."
The letter, obtained by The Guardian and shared by Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel to the IPOB leader, emphasized the urgency of the situation and highlighted Kanu's deteriorating health condition. Johnson disclosed that Kanu suffers from a serious heart condition and other ailments, yet he is not receiving adequate medical attention.
Describing Kanu as a prominent advocate for the Igbo struggle for self-determination, Johnson recounted the series of events that have unfolded, including Kanu's initial arrest by Nigerian government agents in Lagos on October 14, 2015, and his subsequent solitary confinement by the Department of State Security (DSS). Kanu was eventually granted bail by Nigerian courts.
Johnson highlighted the October 2017 military attack on Kanu's home in Abia State, during which dozens of people were killed, many injured or maimed, and others captured and subsequently disappeared. Kanu managed to escape the invasion and returned to his residence in London.
The representative concluded his letter by stating that Kanu's abduction in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 19, 2021, has raised significant concerns about his well-being and called on US Congress members to intervene swiftly to secure his release.