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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A member of the Knesset, the State of Israel’s legislative arm, Mr. M.K. Afef Abbed, has written the United Nations Secretary General, demanding that the world body implement United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in its Opinion No. 25/2022, which, he said, was in favour of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
In the letter titled, “Re: Call for the Implementation of the Opinion and Recommendations of the UN” and copied to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chair-Rapporteur of the United Nations’ Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Abbed brought to the fore that the case of Kanu received the formal attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in its Opinion No. 25/2022.
Abbed wrote: “In that Opinion, the Working Group concluded that Mr. Kanu’s deprivation of liberty was arbitrary and called upon the Governments of Nigeria and Kenya to take the necessary steps to remedy his situation without delay. The Working Group stated that the appropriate remedy would be his immediate release and the granting of an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.
“The Working Group also addressed the circumstances surrounding Mr. Kanu’s arrest in Kenya and his transfer to Nigeria, and called upon the governments concerned to investigate the circumstances surrounding these events, in accordance with international law. I am writing to you as a member of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, out of a deep commitment to the principles of the rule of law, human rights, due process, and respect for international law”.
The Israeli parliamentarian noted with sadness, that, over the years, several legal proceedings concerning Kanu have taken place in Nigeria and beyond, including proceedings addressing his rights and the legal implications of the circumstances surrounding his return to Nigeria.
He said: “These proceedings have raised significant legal questions regarding his fundamental rights and the circumstances of his detention and transfer. Since the adoption of Opinion No. 25/2022, there have also been significant legal developments concerning Mr. Kanu. In November 2025, he was convicted by a Nigerian Federal High Court on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to life imprisonment”.
Abbed noted that these subsequent developments do not diminish the importance of the serious concerns and findings set out by the Working Group in its 2022 Opinion.
Expressing appreciation for the professional and independent work of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in examining Kanu’s case, Abbed also observed with gratitude, that, recently, U.S. Congressman, John James, equally called for the immediate release of Kanu.
Abbed furthermore drew the UN attention to serious concerns raised regarding Kanu’s health condition, “including allegations that the Nigerian authorities have failed to provide him with adequate medical care and have prevented his personal physician from providing him with the necessary treatment.
“As a member of the Knesset of the State of Israel, I believe that strengthening respect for international legal institutions and human rights mechanisms is a shared interest of all
democratic societies.
“When an official United Nations mechanism issues a reasoned Opinion following an independent examination of a case, its findings and recommendations deserve appropriate weight and meaningful efforts toward their implementation.
“I sincerely hope that a responsible and dignified resolution can be reached, consistent with the principles of international law and the fundamental rights of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu”, the Israeli parliamentarian submitted.
He called on the United Nations and its relevant mechanisms to continue following the matter and to examine whether the Working Group’s Opinion and recommendations have been implemented.
