World Igbo Congress says Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest an “abduction”
USAfrica has received a statement from the World Igbo Congress (WIC) on the latest arrest of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian government. The WIC says it “has been briefed on the abduction and arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu in Nigeria and that court hearing is scheduled for July 26, 2021. It has also been confirmed to us that Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, was abducted in a country other than the United Kingdom to which he travelled on British passport. Consequently, this raises the specter of illegal abduction and international gangsterism which violate the process of extradition.”
Nigeria’s Attorney General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami (SAN) announced at a news conference IPOB’s leader Kanu was detained on Sunday June 27, 2021 and “brought back” to Nigeria. Malami said Kanu who, according to the presidency of retired General Muhammadu Buhari and a federal court presided by Justice Binta Murtala Nyako, violated the terms of the bail granted him was “intercepted through the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian intelligence and security services.” Malami did not indicate where Kanu was “intercepted” and which countries and services/agencies were involved in “the collaborative efforts.”
The World Igbo Congress called on “the Nigerian government to ensure that Nnamdi Kanu is treated in accordance with the rules and international conventions that guarantee that his rights and personal safety are protected…. The British government to stand up and defend the right of her citizen. The UK government needs to investigate the collusion of any other country or party in this saga. The government of the US, the UN and the international community to take note of the ongoing abuse of human rights in Nigeria including this matter of abduction of Nnamdi Kanu.”
The WIC also called on “the Igbo at home and abroad to see this as a continuation of the different strokes for different folks, which has characterized the approach of the current administration of the Federal Government of Nigeria in dealing with national issues. The world has taken notice of the disparity in the treatment of Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen who have been designated as terrorists by known international agencies. These killers are routinely arrested, compensated, released and oftentimes absorbed into the Nigerian security services. On the other hand, the Igbo has been subjected to massive shoot-at-sight order, arrests and abduction. We would like to emphasize that no government in the world or any international security agency has designated IPOB as a terrorist organization and Nnamdi Kanu is not on any terrorist watchlist anywhere in the world. All Igbo worldwide to remain calm. The rights of the Igbo must be protected.” The WIC statement is signed by Prof. Anthony Ejiofor (Chairman) and Basil Onwukwe (Public Relations Officer).
