Amidst uncertainty, Kanu’s brother says he was picked in Kenya; Intersociety ‘commends’ govt for his safety

The stories are as diverse as who ever is reporting it, but his brother Kingsley, says Nnamdi Kanu, was picked and hauled to Nigeria from the East African country of Kenya.

He spoke as South-East based advocacy group, Intersociety, commended the Federal Government for delivering him to the country safely and not in a body bag.

Self-proclaimed leader of the secessionist group, Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi, was brought to Nigeria on Sunday and subsequently clamped into the detention facility of the Department of State Services (DSS) via a court order on Tuesday.

In a statement on Wednesday, Kingsley said Kenyan authorities detained his brother until he was extradited to Nigeria.

“My brother Nnamdi Kanu demands the right to self-determination for Biafra. Self-determination is the right to that underpins the United Nations. Because Biafrans support Nnamdi Kanu’s call for Biafran self-determination, my brother has now been subjected to the most serious violations of international law.

“My brother has been subject to extraordinary rendition by Kenya and Nigeria. They have violated the most basic principles of the rule of law. Extraordinary rendition is one of the most serious crimes states can commit. Both Nigeria and Kenya must be held to account. I demand justice for my brother, Nnamdi Kanu.

“The British High Commission in Nigeria must insist upon my brother’s immediate release. They must guarantee his safety and security. Nnamdi Kanu must be returned home to the UK to his wife and his sons who live here. The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, must make clear to the Nigerian authorities that they will not tolerate the unlawful detention of British citizens and that the UK Government condemns the Nigerians and Kenyans for undermining the rule of law.

“Foreign Secretary Raab must be clear. There will be consequences for those who resort to extraordinary rendition. The British Government must insist upon justice for Nnamdi Kanu.”

In its statement, Intersociety said: “The Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested on the Saturday night of June 26 2021 in Kenya, a member of the African Union. He had traveled to Israel, having transited from Germany to Israel before heading to Kenya, where he was intercepted on Saturday night, 26th June 2021. He appeared to have been trapped by some persons of his own tribal stock over some lingering issues.

“His arrest was initially taken to be ‘a minor immigration issue’, which later turned out to be a clear act of ‘strawmen’ and subsequently attracted the involvement of the Nigerian diplomatic officials and security attachés at Nairobi, the country’s capital. He was later on Sunday, 27th June 2021 handed over to Nigerian security attaches and diplomatic officials after providing paper evidence that ‘he is being wanted in Nigeria for continuation of his trial where he jumped bail’ and escaped ‘from judicial justice’.”

On worries over Kanu’s safety In custody, the group says it is not worried but adds it is deeply concerned over his safety, healthcare and upkeep in the custody of the country’s Spy Police where he may likely remain throughout his trial period.

“The Nigerian Government also deserves to be ‘commended’ for not bringing the IPOB Leader in ‘Body Bag’. In other words, we are happy that the Nigerian Government did not ‘kill him extra-judicially on transit and falsely labeled’ the circumstances of his death, a notorious practice that has become the Government’s modus operandi in recent times.

“Intersociety has remained opposed to all forms of offensive violence and a stickler of pacifism. As an apostle of ‘positive peace’ or absence of structural, cultural and physical violence’, we challenge the Nigerian Government and aggrieved non-state actors to eschew violence and embrace dialogue and reconciliation. To ensure this, the Nigerian Government must ensure the round-the-clock safety and welfare of the IPOB leader in its custody as it will be more catastrophic… should anything untoward happen to him. The Government should consider granting him and his group amnesty including withdrawal of all charges against him and his members, same way the Government has been treating the “repentant Boko Haram and Banditry Jihadists” as well as un-tagging of IPOB as ‘a terror group’.”