IPOB to commence weekly lockdown of South-East Nigeria from August 8

 

IPOB to commence weekly lockdown of South-East Nigeria from August 8

In their bid to press for the release of their leader, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has notified the public that they will begin a weekly ‘lockdown of Biafraland’ until their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is released unconditionally from the Government security custody.

In a notice signed by Chika Edoziem on behalf of the organisation, IPOB said it was aware of the strategy of the Nigerian government to subject Kanu to media trial and make people see him as a criminal hence its decision to begin lockdown of the country’s South-East region from August 8th. The group added that on no account should Kanu remain in custody till October, 2021.

In the same vein, the group threatened the people alleged to have sponsored Kanu’s ‘kidnap from Kenya stating that should anything happen to Kanu, “the land of Biafra will not accommodate the people and the people of Biafra”.

Meanwhile, Nigeria and Kenya may have to explain before the African Commission on Human Rights why they allegedly kidnapped Nigerian-British separatist and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu who is facing treason and terrorism related charges in Nigeria was taken to Nigeria from Kenya in circumstances that are still unclear.  

Lawyers to Kanu say they have started legal action against Nigeria and Kenya at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They are demanding accountability from the two countries for what they allege as illegal transfer or handling-over of their client without due process of extradition.

Mr Kanu holds British citizenship and the circumstances of his extradition back to Nigeria last month are unclear. He was reportedly arrested in Kenya, but the Kenyan government denied involvement in his arrest and extradition.

Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers are requesting that he be taken back to Kenya as a free man and a British citizen, alleging that his arrest there was invalid without successful extradition proceedings.

Mr Kanu’s special counsel, Alloy Ejimako, said in a statement they took the matter to the African Union body because Nigeria and Kenya were both members of the charter establishing the commission.

It follows the Nigerian government’s failure to present Mr Kanu in court to continue his trial on treason and terrorism-related charges on Monday.

A federal high court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, ordered the authorities to produce him at the next court date on 21 October.