From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed worries over the silence of the international community on the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Nigeria government.
Spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, in a statement, noted with displeasure, how the world bodies have not mediated in Kanu’s matter, despite court injunctions that he should be released without condition.
He further claimed that the global community has continued to watch as the health conditions of Kanu worsens in detention.
“We express our displeasure at the silence of the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and ECOWAS, as Nigeria grossly disobeys local and International laws regarding the unconditional release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are saddened as the international community watches in silence as the health of our leader deteriorates in solitary confinement of the Nigeria government, where he has been held illegally and unlawfully against all UN and Nigeria court orders for almost two years,” Powerful said.
Powerful further claimed that the federal government has done a lot to frustrate Kanu’s release with several blackmails.
He said: “Any time his case is coming up either here in Nigeria or outside Nigeria, the Nigerian government will sponsor multiple killings in the South East, so as to ascribe it to IPOB, and people will see IPOB as a terrorist organisation.
Both his application to transfer him to Kuje correctional centre and the application for his bail were all ripped for hearing, but the Supreme Court failed to hear them and give bench ruling, showing that they are being controlled by the Fulani government.”
However, irrespective of all the high level provocations, IPOB, he said, has remained peaceful and chose the part of the law to seek justice for Kanu.
Powerful added: “In all these human rights and court abuses, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence among the international organisations and her affiliate human rights organisations.”
Meanwhile, the group has reiterated its leader’s worsening health conditions, following the refusal of the Nigeria government to release him despite the orders.
It stated: “As the health of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, continues to deteriorate and the Nigeria government refuses to obey lawful orders, and the world maintains this criminal silence, IPOB will do all within our power, to ensure that our leader does not die in detention.
“Freedom to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is freedom of the entire black race. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not a criminal. He is not a terrorist nor has he been associated with Nigeria’s treasury looting, which Nigerian politicians are known for. His only crime is the demand for freedom of the oppressed Biafrans from Nigeria.
“We are telling the international community and the African Union, in particular, not to blame IPOB for whatever becomes the aftermath of Nigeria’s continuous disobedience to both local and international laws in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”