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.
British citizen
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.
Dual citizenship
“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.
Reservations on President’s comment
“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, 2015.”
Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment