US lawmaker demands unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu
Leader of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu
US lawmaker demands unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu
The Supreme Court is set to deliver judgments on two separate appeals filed by Kanu and the federal government on Friday, December 15, 2023.
Kanu has been held in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his extradition from Kenya on June 19, 2021.
Jarvis Johnson, in a statement, highlighted the consensus of legal opinion both within and outside Nigeria, anticipating the Supreme Court’s affirmation of previous judgments and orders in this regard.
Johnson underscored the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s detention, stating that he was “extraordinarily renditioned” by the government of Nigeria from Kenya on June 27, 2021. The lawmaker stressed that Kanu, both then and now, remains the leader of IPOB, a non-violent group advocating for an internationally supervised referendum to address the Biafran issue within the Nigerian polity.
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Recent legal developments, including the Enugu State High Court’s decision on October 30, 2023, played a crucial role in Johnson’s call for Kanu’s release. The court ruled that classifying IPOB as a terrorist group by the Government of Nigeria (GON) and the Southeast Governor’s Forum contravened Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Moreover, Johnson pointed out that other Nigerian courts, including the high court in Umuhia, Abia State, and the Court of Appeals in Abuja, had reached similar conclusions, ordering the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu. The U.S. lawmaker highlighted that there are no pending legal matters against Kanu.
Citing international opinions, Johnson referred to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s stance on July 20, 2022, which found Kanu’s solitary confinement in violation of International Human Rights Conventions.
The Council called for his immediate and unconditional release, noting that the extraordinary rendition of Kanu is not in dispute and is deemed illegal under Nigerian and international law.
In his concluding remarks, Johnson called on Nigeria’s Supreme Court to uphold or affirm the considered judgments of its subordinate courts and various international tribunals.
He stated that such a ruling would expedite the process of restoring confidence in the Nigerian judiciary, with the Supreme Court being its apex institution.
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