IPOB expresses worry over Supreme Court continued silence on Kanu’s Appeal

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Monday, expressed worry over the continued silence of the Supreme Court on Nnamdi Kanu’s Appeal case and refusal to hear the Appeal despite all the accelerated hearing processes filed on the case.

The IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, while expressing the worry, said that recent political developments and ethnic profiling of Ndigbo in Nigeria were also playing out in the case of Kanu, which has been held down by the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

” It is evident that the lives of Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, are endangered in Nigeria. We have witnessed the Supreme Court of Nigeria giving accelerated hearings to political cases brought before them but have kept mute over the human rights abuse of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is illegally detained at the DSS solitary confinement dungeon for almost two years now.

“The continuous silence and refusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to set a date of hearing on the Appeals brought before them by the Federal Government against the discharged and acquitted order from the Abuja Appeal Court, has shown that the Apex Court is not neutral in this case.

“Mazi Kanu is a prisoner of conscience, was abducted and tortured in Kenya before he was renditioned to Nigeria by the Nigerian State Secret Agents. On October 13, 2023, the Abuja Appeal Court discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ordered the Nigerian government to pay him adequate compensation.

“Instead of releasing MNK as ordered by the Appeal Court, the Federal Government ran to the Supreme Court to frustrate the Appeal Court orders and Appealed the case. Over 150 days after this Appeal was lodged, the Apex Court which ought to be the last hope of a common man has maintained silence thereby giving the Nigeria government the opportunity to continue the torture and illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS solitary dungeon for confinement.

“The subversion of law and justice in the continuing persecution of  Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, irrespective of his failing health condition, is regrettable, unfortunate, and in clear violations  of his fundamental human rights according to the Nigeria Constitution and International Laws,” he stated

He said further, “On the other hand, the criminal silence of the British government and the Commonwealth office to use their diplomatic offices to demand the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, as ordered by the Appeal Court is degrading to the British global influence”.