News

British Envoy Sabotaging Efforts To Release Nnamdi Kanu – US Lawyer, Bruce Fein

Published

1 year ago

February 11, 2023

Editor

Bruce Fein, a United States, US, based lawyer of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, of personally sabotaging efforts to release the Biafra agitator.

Fein accused Laing of conniving with the Nigerian Government to detain Kanu perpetually.

He accused the British envoy of complicity and complacency over Kanu’s ordeals, alleging that the High Commissioner is personally sabotaging efforts to release Kanu.

Fein disclosed this in a letter to the British envoy dated February 10, 2023 and was forwarded to DAILY POST by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor.

The US lawyer who accused Laing of personally sabotaging efforts to get Kanu out of illegal detention sought to know the motive behind her silence over the ordeals of Kanu, who is a British citizen.

Fein expressed shock that despite the Opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Nigeria should release Kanu unconditionally.

The letter reads: “On July 20, 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a unanimous opinion addressing United Kingdom citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s kidnapping, torture, extraordinary rendition, and protracted detention without trial by Nigeria acting in collusion with Kenya. Among other things, the Working Group Opinion called upon Nigeria “to take urgent action to ensure the immediate unconditional release of Mr Kanu.

“Evidence has surfaced that you personally are sabotaging Mr Kanu’s unconditional release as mandated under jus cogens norms of international law binding on all nations irrespective of consent. You have taken cynicism and hypocrisy to a new level.

“Your Government has taken extreme umbrage at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s violation of international law in attacking Ukraine and committing war crimes. But you have made the UK complicit in flouting international law like Mr Putin by affirmatively encouraging the government of Nigeria to continue its illegal detention of Kanu.

“You and your country plunged to new depths. You go to war over the Falkland Islands thousands of miles from English shores with a tiny population of 3,500 to keep them free from Argentinian misgovernment. But Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, is abandoned to the cruel, lawless dungeon of Nigeria’s DSS.”

Fein had also earlier this year, written to President Muhammadu Buhari, reminding him of the dire consequences of keeping Kanu in illegal detention against UN Opinion and various court orders authorizing his immediate and unconditional release.

News

EFCC Trial: ‘Even The Prophets Went To Prison’ – Buhari’s Minister Comforts Self In Court

Published

2 hours ago

May 10, 2024

Editor

A former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, standing trial for an alleged N7.2bn fraud, said he was ready to go to prison just like the prophets.

Sirika, his daughter, and three others were arraigned at a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday on a six-count amended criminal charge before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.

A video of the ex-minister speaking in court with his lawyers surfaced on X on Thursday.

In the video, Sirika, dressed in cream Babariga, could be heard saying, “It’s okay. Fatima, it’s okay,” while comforting his daughter.

He continued, “Even prophets have gone (to prison). Those that went, haven’t they finished theirs already?…whatever Allah says”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused the ex-minister, his daughter, son-in-law and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, of fraud in connection with the botched Nigerian Air project.

Meanwhile, the court granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N100m with two sureties each.

Before the trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Orji granted the bail request of the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them after it was read out to them.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, had informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7, and filed on May 8, which was not opposed by the counsel for the defendants.

Sirika’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), informed the court of his client’s bail application dated May 6.

The other defendants similarly, moved their bail applications and prayed the court to be liberal in the bail conditions.

Jacobs, on his part, told the court that all the defendants were on administrative bail and asked the court to grant bail on the condition that would make them appear for their trials.

Apart from the N100m bail, Justice Osuji added that one of the sureties must own a landed property with valid land titles in like sum within the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge also held that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means while he barred the defendants from travelling outside the country without its permission.

He added that failure to fulfil the bail conditions would earn the defendants a stay in a correctional facility.