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Reports reaching The Eastern Updates has it that the legal team of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has sent a letter to the United Kingdom Government, seeking to know their plan towards securing Kanu’s release as directed by the United Nations.
In a letter to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, Kanu’s International Counsel, and spokesman, Bruce Fein called on UK to ensure the implementation of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinion No. 25/2022.
According to the letter dated August 7, 2022, and made available to The Eastern Updates by the IPOB leader’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, the envoy was accused of not giving attention to Kanu’s case even weeks after the opinion was issued.
The United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on July 20, 2022, issued a unanimous opinion addressing United Kingdom citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s kidnapping, torture, extraordinary rendition, and protracted detention without trial by Nigeria acting in collusion with Kenya.
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Among other things, the Working Group Opinion called upon Nigeria ‘to take urgent action to ensure the immediate unconditional release of Mr. Kanu.’
The Opinion catalouged the serial human rights violations of Nigeria and Kenya regarding Mr. Kanu: ‘The deprivation of liberty…in contravention of articles 2, 3, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 2, 9, 13, 14, 16, 19, and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights…’
‘Indeed, he is a victim of multiple crimes perpetrated by Nigerian and Kenyan authorities. Yet you and your superiors continue to permit Mr. Kanu to suffer in a Nigerian dungeon in flagrant violation of international law.
‘Your silence is making Great Britain’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council a joke.
‘I regret the resort to language outside the customary euphemisms of diplomacy. But justice for Nnamdi Kanu and 70-80 million Biafrans is too important to be left to ambiguous clues or semaphore. I would respectfully request that you inform me promptly of the steps you have taken or contemplate taking to secure Nigeria’s compliance with the Working Group Opinion calling for Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate, unconditional release and reparations,’ Fein stated.
