Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to adhere to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group’s directive to release Kanu. Ejimakor emphasized that ignoring the order, as former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration did, would reflect poorly on Nigeria’s commitment to international obligations.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his controversial extradition from Kenya in June 2021. In July 2022, the UNHRC’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a landmark opinion directing the Nigerian government to release Kanu unconditionally. The group also recommended that he be compensated for his arrest and rendition, labeling the process a violation of international human rights standards.
In a statement released on Saturday, Ejimakor reminded the government of its obligation to comply with international laws and treaties, emphasizing that Nigeria’s membership in such organizations requires adherence to their rulings.
“Nigeria is duty-bound to implement this decision in its black letters and spirit. And it was expected to do so promptly,” Ejimakor said. “Nonetheless, it is never too late to act, even as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has, for three and a half years, endured the horrendous rigours of a detention that is bereft of any legal justification.”
The lawyer urged President Tinubu to take immediate action, asserting that no additional court order is necessary to release Kanu. Ejimakor argued that complying with the UN directive would demonstrate the government’s respect for human rights and its commitment to international legal standards.
