Peter Okoye, PBA Journalism MenteeThe leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s international lawyer, Bruce Fein, is set to meet with the new British envoy to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, over Kanu’s continued illegal detention and how to avenues to secure Nigerian government’s compliance with his unconditional release based on the opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and court rulings in the country.
This was disclosed in a letter addressed to Montgomery by the U.S Attorney dated 27th March 2023.
He said it is imperative that Kanu should be released as his health condition is allegedly deteriorating.
The letter read in part: “I would respectfully request an opportunity to meet with you in Abuja to explore avenues to secure Nigeria’s compliance with the Working Group’s order for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Kanu.
“The time is propitious because of the impending change in the Nigerian Government, and urgent because of Mr Kanu’s rapidly declining health.”
The U.S lawyer, who congratulated the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria on his appointment, however, advised him not to toe the line of his predecessor, Catriona Laing, who he accused of handling Kanu’s matter with triviality notwithstanding the British citizenship of the IPOB leader.
He wondered why despite several court orders, and the admonition by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Kanu, a British citizen has not been released unconditionally, adding that Laing failed to exert pressure on the Nigeria Government to comply with the orders.
“On July 20, 2022, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an Opinion finding that Mr Kanu’s detention violated sixteen (16) international human rights covenants.
The Working Group ordered his “immediate and unconditional release and payment of reparations”. The Government of Nigeria remains in contempt of the Working Group’s order more than eight months after the order was issued.
“Your predecessor idled instead of confronting the Government of Nigeria with its legal obligation to release a UK citizen without tarry.
“Indeed, she relied on the lawless Fulani-controlled Government and Biafran quislings in the southeast to accept Orwellian propaganda about Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra,” Fein stated.
Fein however, challenged the British Government to emulate the US in seeking justice for oppressed persons who are not even US citizens.
“Compare her anaemic defence of a wrongly accused and detained UK citizen found innocent by an impartial, international tribunal with the muscular United States efforts to secure the release of permanent resident Paul Rusesabagina, “Hotel Rwanda” filmmaker, from Rwandan imprisonment.
“Mr Rusesabagina had been convicted of financially supporting violent Rwandan rebels in a Rwandan court. U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan exerted unremitting pressure on Rwandan President Paul Kagame to obtain a commutation of sentence on March 24, 2023.
“Why is the UK refusing to follow the laudable United States example as regards Nnamdi Kanu? Great countries are made of sterner stuff. “
He also accused Britain of masterminding the ethnic tension in Nigeria due to the skewed political system she handed down to the country upon independence.
He further urged Britain to do more to restore the rule of law and justice to the country, arguing that it is not enough to return Nigeria’s stolen artefacts while doing nothing about the right of her citizens to self-determination.
“Nigeria has been challenged as a nation since independence from involuntary British colonial rule in 1960. The United Kingdom has sought to make partial amends for participating in the racist scramble for Africa by returning looted Benin City artefacts stolen by marauding British soldiers.”
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