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January 14, 2025

Igbo groups mark 30th month of Kanu’s detention 

Kanu raises alarm, alleges tricks by FG to perpetually hold him down Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has drawn attention to what he described as serial executive and judicial fraud being perpetrated against him since his extraordinary rendition in 2021. In an open letter addressed to Nigerians yesterday, Kanu said: ‘’In a judgment entered on March 1, 2017, the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled that the ‘IPOB is not an unlawful group’. At the time, it received widespread publicity which can be verified. ‘’This landmark ruling (made by the court before it turned unjust) emanated in a criminal proceedings that required ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ and in which the federal government and my humble self presented our respective cases. ‘’Alas! Instead of the federal government to go on appeal as the law mandated (if they are dissatisfied with the judgment), the former Attorney-General (Abubakar Malami) went behind closed doors with a letter signed by late Abba Kyari and got IPOB proscribed/tagged a terrorist group in an ex parte proceedings that conducted without notice to me or to the IPOB. ‘’This abominable incident was the earliest sign yet that the government and its judiciary have struck an unholy and fraudulent alliance to deny me my rights and thereby imperil the life and liberty of millions who identity with IPOB. ‘’On October 26, 2022, a Federal High Court declared my extraordinary rendition and detention as unconstitutional, stating that: ‘the manner of arrest and detention of the Applicant (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) in Kenya, his continued detention in Abuja, his subjection to physical and mental trauma by the Respondents, the inhuman and degrading treatment meted out to the Applicant amounts to a brazen violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to dignity of his person and threat to life under Section 34 (1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).’ ‘’The court further ordered the federal government to apologize to me and pay me compensation. In a responsible society and well-ordered, run by a responsible government, this judgment is sufficient to have ended my lengthy detention and encourage the federal government to constructively engage me on the issue of the self-determination agitation that triggered this whole saga. ‘’Pedal back to October 13, 2022, when the Court of Appeal held that: ‘The courts must never shy away from calling the executive to order when they resort to acts of ‘executive lawlessness.’ ‘’The duty of the courts is to maintain a balance between ensuring that law and order is obeyed and the protection of the individual from oppressive actions by the executive. ‘’By the forcible abduction and extraordinary rendition of the Appellant (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) from Kenya to this country on the 27th day of June 2021, in violation of international and state laws, the lower court or, indeed, any court in this country is divested of jurisdiction to entertain charges against the Appellant’. ‘’Despite the clarity of this judgment and its comportment with reason, the federal government refused to release me from detention while it went behind closed doors and connived with three other justices of the court of appeal who fraudulently and swiftly sat on appeal over the judgment and practically destroyed it by issuing what they termed ‘a stay of execution’. ‘’One may then ask: Is it not abominable for a court to stay a judgment the government already disobeyed? In a plethora of cases, the Supreme Court has held that anybody who disobeys a related court order cannot be given any judicial relief until such order is obeyed. ‘’This is a sound reasoning that applied to everybody but is fraudulently overlooked when it comes to my case. Fast forward to 15th December 2023 when the Supreme Court sent back my case to the Federal High Court for trial. ‘’For avoidance of doubt, that was not the only decision the Supreme Court made. It also decided that my bail should not have been revoked and it went on to state clearly that the judge exhibited significant and unacceptable bias by revoking my bail. ‘’In a sane society, one would expect that when the High court received my case from the Supreme Court and hankered down for trial, it was also duty-bound to restore my bail in line with the pronouncement of the apex court. ‘’But that did not happen. Why? Well, your guess is as good as mine and that is: the Court connived with the federal government to continue my detention in violation of Section 287 of the Nigerian Constitution. ‘’On September 24, 2024, I decided that I have had enough of taking my chances at getting justice from a judge that, in June 2021, sent me to secret police detention without fair hearing, later refused to transfer me to prison to better prepare for my trial and capped it all by refusing to restore my bail and instead ordering an accelerated trial in the face of the reality that I will never get a fair trial whilst detained at the DSS. ‘’These are the major reasons that compelled me to request recusal of the judge and having consented to it, she proceeded to make an order removing herself from my case. That order was never challenged on appeal; thus it remains extant to this day. ‘’But instead of the Chief judge of the Federal High Court to do the lawful thing by assigning my case to another judge, he connived with the federal government to eat crow and send my case to a judge that stands recused by a valid order. ‘’To conclude this open letter, let me make it clear that it should in no way be construed to mean that there are no decent judges in Nigeria that can be trusted to deliver even-handed justice in my case. That is not the issue. ‘’Instead, the issue is that my case is deliberately being shielded from judges and justices that are deemed to be committed to doing justice, even when it means that the federal government must lose. ‘’Be that as it may, if it will take the rest of my life in detention to produce me before a proper and impartial court, so be it. But let me say this for the world to know: I will not succumb to any trial conducted by any judge or court whose jurisdiction does not pass constitutional muster. Not now, not ever.’’

Nnamdi Kanu

By Steve Oko, UMUAHIA

Igbo groups, known as the Rising Sun Foundation and Ambassadors for Self Determination, have marked 30 months of the detention of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, with a renewed call for his unconditional release.

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The groups in a statement commended President Bola Tinubu for showing signs of interest in dialogue towards releasing Kanu but pleaded with him to heed the growing calls for Kanu’s release.

Signatories to the statement include  Maxwell Dede Emole, Dr Remy Okea, Evans Nwankwo, and Benjamin Nwankwo on behalf of Rising Sun Foundation Inc. USA, and Ambassadors For Self Determination.

They argued that if the Federal Government could discontinue the prosecution of other agitators like Sunday Igboho of the Yoruba Nation; Omoyele Sowore of the Revolution Now Movement; and even Bello Bodejo, the leader of the controversial Miyetti Allah Kyautal Hore; same gesture could be extended to the IPOB leader.

The groups advised Tinubu against selective justice by his predecessors, and break a jinx of freeing Kanu as already ordered by several courts.

They further argued that Kanu’s continued incarceration amounted to the detention of the entire Igbo people whose cause he was defending.

The statement read: “As long as Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains imprisoned, the entire Igbo nation is held captive. This reality cannot persist indefinitely.

“The call for his release is not just a plea for one man’s freedom; it is a rallying cry for the liberation of our  entire people from  systemic oppression and neglect. We must pray for Kanu’s health and safety, for the consequences of his continued detention could be dire for our collective future.”

Accusing South East political leaders of reluctance and non-committal in the  efforts to free Kanu, the groups urged Tinubu not to be misled about the imperative of releasing Kanu.

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They expressed concern over Kanu’s failing health and appealed to Tinubu not to allow Kanu to die in detention.

The statement further read:” The Rising Sun Foundation, alongside other conscientious and freedom-loving  citizens of the Igbo nation and beyond, can no longer remain silent as our distinguished leader, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, endures the unbearable conditions of detention in Nigeria’s Directorate of State Security Services (DSS). 

“As he marks 30 months of unjust incarceration, it is imperative that we amplify our voices against this blatant violation of his rights, especially in light of several court orders demanding his unconditional release.

“The Nigerian government, under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has recently shown signs of a potential shift toward dialogue regarding Kanu’s release.

“This is a notable contrast to the treatment of other political detainees such as  Sunday Igboho of the Yoruba Nation, Omoyele Sowore of the Revolution Now movement, and even Bello Bodejo, the leader of the controversial Miyetti Allah Kyautal Hore.

“These figures have been released and their legal cases dismissed, raising serious questions about the selective application of justice in Nigeria.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains the sole political prisoner among them, a situation that is not only perplexing but also indicative of deeper systemic issues within the Nigerian political landscape.

Accuse South leaders of reluctance

“The reluctance of our political leaders-particularly the governors and those aligned with Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo-to advocate for Kanu’s freedom is deeply troubling. Their actions reflect a disheartening trend of prioritizing personal political ambitions over the collective welfare of the Igbo people.

“In public, they may call for his release, yet behind closed doors, they engage in negotiations that ensure his continued imprisonment. This duplicitous behaviour encapsulates the phrase “maramara n-ihu, gwampiti n’azu,” highlighting their tendency to play both sides for their gain.

“As we reflect on the last 30 months, we must recognize that time is of the essence. The world is transforming at a rapid pace, driven by technological advancements in the Internet and Artificial Intelligence, and we must not allow our people to be left behind. 

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention is not merely a personal tragedy; it represents a broader struggle for the Igbo nation’s identity and future. He has become a symbol of resistance against the marginalization and oppression that we, as a people, have faced for decades.

“The Igbo people are inherently peaceful and progressive. Yet, the hostile environment created by the Nigerian state has compelled us into a struggle for survival.

“It is a time that demands unity, the setting aside of selfish interests for the greater good of our community. This is not merely a matter of belief; it is an urgent reality that calls for collective action and sacrifice.

“Our quest for freedom resonates with the historical struggles faced by other oppressed groups around the world.

“Just as it took immense sacrifices for African Americans to secure their civil rights and for South Africans to dismantle the Apartheid regime, we, too, must be prepared to fight for our liberation-whether within the Nigerian state or as a self-determined entity.”

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