Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has raised concerns over what he describes as ongoing executive and judicial manipulation aimed at keeping him in detention indefinitely.
In an open letter to Nigerians, Kanu detailed a series of legal battles and court rulings that, according to him, have been ignored or circumvented by the federal government. He cited a March 1, 2017 ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declared that IPOB was not an unlawful group. Rather than appeal the decision, he alleged that the then Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, worked behind closed doors with the late Abba Kyari to have IPOB proscribed as a terrorist organization through an ex parte proceeding.
Kanu also referenced an October 26, 2022 ruling by a Federal High Court, which declared his extraordinary rendition from Kenya and subsequent detention unconstitutional. The court had ordered the federal government to apologize and compensate him, but he claims these directives were ignored.
Furthermore, he recalled an October 13, 2022 judgment by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that Nigerian courts had no jurisdiction to try him due to the manner of his rendition. However, he alleged that the federal government secretly influenced three justices of the Court of Appeal to overturn this decision through “stay of execution”.
The IPOB leader also criticized the Supreme Court’s December 15, 2023 decision, which returned his case to the Federal High Court for trial but simultaneously acknowledged that his bail should not have been revoked. Despite this, he remains in detention, which he views as a deliberate effort to suppress him.
Kanu further alleged that the Federal High Court has been complicit in obstructing justice, particularly after he requested the recusal of the trial judge due to concerns of bias. Although the judge withdrew from the case, he claims that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, instead of assigning a new judge, reassigned the case to the same recused judge.
Concluding his letter, Kanu emphasized that his demand is not for special treatment but for a fair trial before an impartial court. He reaffirmed his stance, stating:
“If it will take the rest of my life in detention to ensure I am tried by a proper and impartial court, so be it. But let it be known that I will not submit to any trial that does not meet constitutional standards, now or never
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