The incarcerated leader of the sessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has written to the British government over his continued detention calling for its intervention in the matter, NAIJ.com reports.
Mr. Kanu, who is a British citizen, has written a petition to the high commissioner of the UK High Commission accusing the Muhammadu Buhari-led government of orchestrating a treasonable felony trial for him for political reasons.
The letter also accuses the Nigerian presidency of frustrating his defence and disobeying court orders to release the IPOB leader on bail. It also protests the move by the government to stage a secret trail for Kanu and his associates standing trial with him.
According to the news website, a “source in Kanu’s family” revealed that the letter is dated August 16, 2016 and was mailed to the embassy on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. The unnamed source also revealed that more letters would be sent by the director of Radio Biafra to other missions of foreign governments.
The letter, which was written on his behalf, essentially protests Nnamdi Kanu’s continued incarceration and draws attention to the agitations for a free Republic of Biafra.
“We write to the British High Commission on the ugly direction the political orchestrated trial of Nnamdi Kanu (a British citizen) is premised on a most concocted charges of treasonable felony is gradually assuming.”
“In the face of this conspiratorial plot by the Nigerian government to hang our client at all cost and by any means, we respectfully invite the British government to demonstrate more responsive concern in restoring the dignity and freedom if our client whose fundamental rights as guaranteed under the supreme laws of the land and relevant international conventions has been grossly violated by Nigerian government.
“Despite our stiff opposition to this application (protection of witnesses), the honourable court for reasons best known to him, apparently not supported by any legal precedence or judicial authorities made a volte-face and strangely varied the order he made on the 19th day of February, 2016.
“In effect, the court granted an application for a secret trial of our client, a British citizen obviously sitting in appeal against his order made on the February 2016.
“To set in motion, the expeditious hearing of this appeal, we filed a motion for accelerated hearing of the appeal and all processes so far filled in this appeal were duly served on the prosecution, yet there is no single process filed by the prosecution in response to our appeal.
“Upon being informed of this date of adjournment, we promptly protested and consequently filed a complaint before the deputy chief registrar of the Court of Appeal Abuja division.
“In the aforesaid letter we carefully provided legal basis for the date to be adjusted backward in line with the requirement of the fast track rules,” the letter said.
Kanu has been declared a prisoner-of-conscience by a coalition of human rights groups in Nigeria. The coalition, led by Intersociety, says he is being held without trial and because of his peaceful advocacy or the cause of Biafra.
