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Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyers Write Malami, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Make Demands

Published

3 years ago

August 13, 2022

The legal team of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu led by Aloy Ejimakor, has written to the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

The team is demanding Kanu’s unconditionally release in line with the recommendations of the United Nations

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

They reminded Malami of the need to accord Kanu an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations for his continued unlawful detention.

The letter was addressed to Malami and the Minister of Foreign Affairs was signed by Chukwuma-Machukwu, and Ejimakor.

The letter reads partly: “As you must have noted, the Opinion demanded the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to immediately and unconditionally release our client; Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations for his continued unlawful detention.

“The Working Group requests the source and the Government to provide the above- mentioned information within six months of the date of transmission of the present opinion. However, the Working Group reserves the right to take its own action in follow-up to the opinion if new concerns in relation to the case are brought to its attention. Such action would enable the Working Group to inform the Human Rights Council of progress made in implementing its recommendations, as well as any failure to take action”. All emphasis (italic, bold underlining) ours.

“Your Excellency, we are sending this demand Letter to you because we believe that the subject matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Relations Ministry of Nigeria, as it is the duty of the Ministry to, among other things, ensure that Nigeria complies with her obligations under international law. Thus, in your considerations of the subject matter of this Letter, we respectfully invite you to be guided by the following:

“The Working Group, which is an integral part of the United Nations Human Rights Council, is a quasi-judicial body that has the legal mandate of the United Nations to adjudicate human rights petitions brought against member nations of the United Nations.

“The Opinion of the Working Group is legally binding on Nigeria because it is based primarily on Universal Human Rights standards set by Article 9(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 , The Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, 1988, The Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, 1992, The Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, 1989; all to which Nigeria is a signatory.

“Some of the above human rights instruments were mentioned in the Opinion as having guided the Working Group in reaching this decision. To be sure, ratification is a means by which a nation renders itself subject to international laws and treaties. And by virtue of Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria {as amended} and a plethora of decisions by the Supreme Court of Nigeria {see; Abacha v Fawehinmi [2000] 6 NWLR Part 660 p 228}, ratification makes Nigeria subject to and bound by whatever treaties, principles, protocols, etc that it ratified and domesticated.

“Thus, Nigeria’s Domestication of Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights {which includes Article 6 that guarantees the Right against unlawful detention. This Article is as well very similar to Article 9(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights} has made Nigeria bound by it and in extension, bound by the Opinion of the Working Group which it was founded on.

“Furthermore the International Court of Justice in its dictum in the Hostages in Tehran case, ICJ Reports 1980, p. 42, para. 91 held:

“wrongfully to deprive human beings of their freedom and to subject them to physical constraint in conditions of hardship is in itself incompatible with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as with the fundamental principles enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”

“It thus follows that, notwithstanding that a State may not have ratified or otherwise adhered to any of the preceding human rights treaties, it is nonetheless bound by other legal sources to ensure a person’s right to respect for his or her liberty and security.

“That Kenya has not taken up a complaint against Nigeria for kidnapping a British citizen in her sovereign State cannot in law be an alibi for Nigeria as to avoid its Rule of Law obligations. The case of United States v. Toscanino (also cited in the Opinion) emphatically points out that a violation of international law is not merely a political matter to be settled through diplomatic channels by the states involved, but can also be relied upon by the accused in the domestic courts. see; See State v. Brewster (1835), 7 Vt. 118; United States v . Unverzagt (1924), 299 F. 1015 (D.C .), (1919-42)

“To this effect, even when Nigeria denies being a signatory to or ratifying some of the instruments as listed above which the Working Group relied on, the International Court of Justice has already set the precedent that even States that did not ratify these Documents will still be bound by them.

“As a bonafide member of the United Nations Organisation, Nigeria is subject to Decisions cum Opinions issued from all the United Nations bodies. Thus, it is our firm position that Nigeria is legally bound to implement this well founded and universally respected Opinion in its fullness of letters and spirit. And it is expected to do so promptly.

“The comity of Nations cannot allow Nigeria to pick and choose benefits from international Covenants and Conventions to revile on its duties and obligations accruing from the said international Covenants and Conventions. For her benefit, Nigeria followed through with her claims over Bakassi in the International Court of Justice.

“How did we come to this level? In fact, we must reiterate that impunity and violence are sure signposts of misgovernance and are never allowed in the comity of sovereign nations where intelligence, higher thoughts and diplomacy are the only life wires of good governance and mutual international relationships with other nations.

“This Nigeria cannot afford to squander. It is an opportunity to explore a more reconciliatory path to resolving the Biafra question.

“In view of all the foregoing, we most respectfully ask you to bring your good Office to bear on the Government of Nigeria to unconditionally release our Client, Nnamdi Kanu within a reasonable time after the receipt of this letter.”

News

Ovia South West Council Chairman, Edobor Bags National Merit Award

Published

6 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

The Acting Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Council in Edo State, Hon. Charles Nosakhare Edobor, has bagged the 2025 Nigerian Local Government Merit Award (LOGMA).

He was awarded as the Best Performing Local Government Chairman in Nigeria (Security and infrastructure development, purposeful leadership).

Speaking after being conferred with the prestigious award, Edobor applauded the organizers for recognizing his administration’s commitment to localizing good governance.

He highlighted his leadership’s remarkable strides in building a sustainable, livable, and prosperous council area through numerous people-oriented programmes and projects-particularly in road infrastructure and the provision of basic social amenities.

Edobor dedicated the award to the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and to the good people of Ovia south west Local Government Area.

He expressed satisfaction with the honour. He emphasized that the award would further spur him to work harder in pursuing people-centred programmes aligned with Senator Monday Okpebholo’s S.H.I.N.E and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Edobor commended Governor Okpebholo for his visionary leadership and unwavering support for local government administrations across the state.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening rural development, empowering youth and women, and ensuring the dividends of democracy reach every ward in Ovia south west local government.

Earlier, in his welcome address at the event which held on Wednesday at the National Merit House, Abuja, the National Coordinator of LOGMA, Chief Bayode Ojo, stated that the award was designed to showcase the achievements of local government chairmen and reward excellence in grassroots governance – particularly those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting grassroots development despite the challenges confronting the third tier of government.

He congratulated all the awardees for making the final list after rigorous scrutiny and spot-checking of some of their executed projects to verify the authenticity of their claims.

Chief Ojo further urged the awardees to continue to be shining examples of sustainable growth at the grassroots and in the country at large.

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Sacks CDS Musa, Names New Army Boss

Published

7 hours ago

October 24, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.

The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

More to follow…

News

Lagos Inaugurates 24-hour Traffic Management Operations

Published

1 day ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has launched two transformative initiatives designed to recalibrate traffic governance and restore environmental sanctity across the metropolis.

In a visionary bid to guarantee seamless mobility and safe commuting at all hours, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has formally instituted a 24-hour operational framework for traffic management and enforcement across Lagos State.

The groundbreaking initiative, officially commissioned by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, constitutes a seminal moment in the evolution of Lagos’s transportation governance.

It manifests Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s strategic ambition to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people, goods and services within Nigeria’s economic epicentre—a city that operates continuously, unhindered by congestion or disorder.

According to Giwa, the 24-hour operational regime epitomises the administration’s steadfast dedication to constant vigilance, operational efficiency and disciplined traffic regulation, especially as the metropolis approaches the festive period, traditionally characterised by heightened vehicular and commercial activity.

This information was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.

He elaborated that the framework is meticulously designed to facilitate continuous monitoring, rapid emergency response and immediate clearance of traffic obstructions irrespective of time, thereby mitigating congestion and enhancing the commuter experience.

“This initiative exemplifies the Lagos State Government’s resolute commitment to safeguarding mobility, preserving lives and sustaining economic productivity through perpetual traffic oversight,” Giwa stated.

A pivotal component of the initiative is the establishment of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised unit within LASTMA charged with swiftly addressing nocturnal traffic incidents, including vehicular breakdowns, collisions and other obstructions along critical arteries of the metropolis.

In tandem with these traffic management reforms, the Lagos State Government also executed a comprehensive clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain and the Ijora Under Bridge, eliminating illegal structures, shanties and unregulated trading that had long obstructed free vehicular flow and compromised public safety.

The far-reaching enforcement exercise, spearheaded by Sola Giwa in coordination with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), the Lagos State Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), culminated in the removal of unauthorised traders, makeshift structures and multiple environmental infractions.

During the operation, enforcement teams uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and impounded substantial quantities of expired plantain chips and cheese balls, stored under unsanitary conditions—a testament to the government’s prioritisation of public health and environmental integrity.

The exercise followed persistent warnings and public sensitisation campaigns urging illegal occupants under bridges to vacate. Teams also identified blocked drainage channels choked with metallic debris, contributing to perennial flooding and environmental degradation.

Furthermore, several commercial buses and tricycles operating unlawfully along the newly constructed Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded.

Shanties adjacent to St. Catholic Church School, Apapa Road, were demolished, reinstating the area to its intended urban and educational purpose, while criminal hideouts beneath the Ijora Bridge were dismantled to enhance public security.

Giwa reaffirmed that the Sanwo-Olu administration will not compromise on public safety, environmental protection or the rule of law, stressing that Lagos must remain a city distinguished by structure, order and discipline.

General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, appealed to traders, transport operators and commuters to comply with government directives, utilise designated markets and parking facilities, and actively support the administration’s efforts to maintain a safe, efficient and orderly metropolis.

He emphasised that the integration of 24-hour traffic management with environmental enforcement represents the Lagos State Government’s holistic approach to sustainable urban mobility—one that blends innovative regulation, proactive enforcement and civic responsibility.