[DEVELOPING STORY]
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu`s lawyer, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor has alleged that the British government may have connived with Nigeria and Kenya in Nnamdi kanu`s “abduction” in Nairobi and the extra ordinary rendition to Nigeria that followed the abduction.
Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a Nigerian separatist group fighting for the secession of Biafra from Nigeria. He was said to have been arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to continue with his trial for some treasonable offences levelled against him by the Nigerian government.
The IPOB leader is a British Nigerian with both both British and Nigerian passports. He was reported to have renounced his Nigerian citizenship as far back as 2005. His lawyer alleges that the United Kingdom government, whose citizenship Nnamdi Kanu currency holds, is doing very little to assist him in his ordeal in the hands of the Nigerian government.
Barr Ejiofor`s allegation coincided with a scheduled bilateral meeting between President Buhari and his British counterpart in the London. President Buhari is currently in the British capital to meet with his doctors.
While in London, he will also participate in the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021 to 2025, which is to be co-hosted by Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Mazi Nnamdi Kalu is the leader of a separatist movement in Nigeria called the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He was reportedly abducted in Kenya by agents of the Kenya government under a joint operation with the Nigeria government.
The Kenyan government have since denied knowledge of the operation that led to Nnamdu Kanu`s abduction from the country. The claim that they only got wind of the development long after he has already been taken outside the Kenyan border.
About this same time, Nnamdi Kanu`s lawyer, Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor was almost murdered in his country home in Orifite, Anambra State by criminals who were reported to be agents of the Nigerian government. This matter was not publicly known to have been denied publicly or investigated by the Nigerian government.
However, up till date it is still unknown what actions or diplomatic steps the Kenyan government have taken to register their displeasure to the Nigerian government.
Nigeria went to a 30 months’ war with the then Biafra, which was the then Eastern region of Nigeria.
The regional government was governed by the late Odumegwu Ojukwu. Biafra lost the war to the Nigerian side and also reportedly lost more than a million lives, most of which were lost to hunger than the enemy`s fire power.
BASIC FACTS
- Ejiofor levelled the allegation against the British government during a TV interview on Wednesday which was monitored by a Palydom reporter.
- The lawyer also drew the distinction between Nnadi Kanu`s arrest and that of Sunday Igboho, who is also leading a similar movement for the secession of the Yoruba nation from Nigeria.
- As he argued, the Yoruba Activist, was lawfully arrested in Benin Republic and is now going through the lawful process for extradition to Nigeria.
- Barr Ejiofor therefore cautioned the media to properly qualify Nnamdi Kalu`s ordeal in Kenya as illegal abduction, imprisonment, torture and extraordinary rendition and not an arrest.
- The three countries and their presidents/prime minister at the center of Nnamdi Kanu`s ordeal are today meeting in London, the UK capital.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Barr Ejiofor said as follows “I can confirm to you that British high commission is not doing much about this case. I can confirm to you that there is every likely hood of connivance in what happened to my client.
“Because some times in 2015 when my client was arrested I know how they were keeping in constant communication with him and visiting him regularly both when he was in DSS custody and when he was transferred to prison
“But as at yesterday a British national was arrested and till date they have not visited him even when we have officially notified them of the situation.
“As at the time he was arrested, he was arrested as a British national because he had renounced his Nigerian citizenship over 5 years ago. And they are still talking about offering him consular services”, he said
“At the time he was arrested, his associates in Nairobi started looking for him. They searched in all the Police stations and other law enforcement agencies and he was nowhere to be found.
“In the case of Sunday Igboho, he was arrested in Benin Republic and taken to custody and is being subjected to trial. His arrest was announced but in the case of my client he was detained in an illegal facility for 8 days after which he was renditioned back to Nigeria,” he concluded.
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