Bruce Fein, a United States-based lawyer of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has written a letter to the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, disclosing that there are plans by the Nigerian government to imprison the IPOB leader without trial.
The letter, dated may 11, 2022, which is addressed to the President General of Ohanaeze, Prof. George Obiozor, and made available to The Guardian by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, yesterday, tasked the Igbo socio-cultural group to rise to the occasion and assume legal and moral responsibilities to ensure Kanu gets a fair trial.
The letter reads in part: “Rise to your legal and moral responsibilities as Biafran leaders.
“Do not show your heels when danger appears. Remember, “To whom much is given, much will be required.” Luke 12:48.
“It has become obvious that the Nigerian government has no evidence against Kanu. Its aim is to imprison him indefinitely without trial, praying for either his death or handing his prosecution to the next administration.
“All that is necessary for triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.”
The letter went on to stress the level of human right violation meted out on Kanu.
“For nearly a year, Kanu has been punished by indefinite detention in solitary confinement and denied access to needed nutrition, medical care, and counsel of choice in violation of international human rights law and the Nigerian Constitution.”
Continuing, he wrote: “ Kanu has also been denied his rights to public, prompt, and fair trial before an impartial judge.
“Government has amended the charges against Kanu three times. They remain infinitely vague.
“They trespass on the universally recognised international law right of every people to self-determination, provided in Article one of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article three of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 61/295, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).
“Notwithstanding armies of lawyers and investigators, the Nigerian government has remained unprepared for trial after the elapse of more than 11 months, since Kanu’s detention in Abuja. There is still no trial date.”
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