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IPOB: Why FG Can’t Reveal How Nnamdi Kanu Was Extradited -Lawyer

Published

4 years ago

February 7, 2022

Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has challenged the Nigerian government to reveal how the IPOB leader was arrested and extradited.

In a statement on Monday, Ejimakor described the extradition of Kanu as illegal and a “gross misconduct”.

The statement was titled, ‘Absence of lawful extradition is the reason why Nigeria cannot explain how it intercepted Nnamdi Kanu’.

Kanu, who is facing an 11-count charge of treason, treasonable felony, terrorism, and illegal possession of firearms, among others, allegedly jumped bail in 2017 and left the country, only to re-emerge in Israel and then in the United Kingdom.

The former London estate agent was rearrested in June 2021. He was initially arrested in late 2015 after calling for a separate state for Biafra, in South-East Nigeria.

He was re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja and ordered to be remanded in the custody of the DSS, while the case was adjourned.

Following the sudden appearance of Kanu in a Federal High Court in Abuja on June 29, 2021, the Attorney-General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, SAN, at a press conference, stated that Kanu was “intercepted through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and Security Services”.

But the lawyer complained that beyond “the bland use of the word ‘interception’, neither the Attorney-General nor any other Nigerian official has explained how and where this infamous interception occurred or whether it occurred under the pertinent legal framework or not”.

He said, “From published accounts, all efforts by the media (domestic and international) to elicit details of this interception have met a stubborn official silence. And it appears that the same is true with myriad diplomatic inquiries issuing to Nigeria from the international community, notably from the United Kingdom and United Nations.

“Conversely, Nnamdi Kanu had, in various sworn statements, given credible accounts and details that prove that the so-called interception is simply that he was officially kidnapped, disappeared, tortured in Kenya, and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria. During the hearing of Kanu’s fundamental rights suit in Abia State (which he won), the Nigerian government could not explain how Kanu ended up in Nigeria, thus confirming that Kanu was not extradited but illegally renditioned. If Kanu was extradited, the Nigerian government would have been very forthright with it, especially given the insurmountable prosecutorial barrier that comes with extraordinary rendition.

“It is therefore instructive that, to date, the Nigerian government has neither – in court or public – contradicted Kanu’s accounts, nor offered any alternative account that may suggest that Kanu’s return to Nigeria was secured through some due process of law.

“On its part, the Kenyan Government has, in the public and in processes filed in court, vehemently denied that Kanu was subjected to any extradition (or even deportation) proceedings in Kenya; and Nigeria has deadpanned to Kenya’s self-righteous denials.

“To be sure, Nnamdi Kanu, a non-national of Kenya, was legally admitted to Kenya on 5th May, 2021 and then expelled or was transferred from Kenya to Nigeria on 27th June, 2021 without ‘a decision taken in accordance with the law’. Both Nigeria and Kenya are State Parties to the parent African Charter that grandfathered the similar law Nigeria later domesticated into its municipal laws.

“It is trite that a renditioned fugitive suspect cannot be subjected to trial. Thus, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be restitutioned or restored to the status quo, whether to Kenya or Britain, at his option. It is inherently contradictory to postulate that a renditioned suspect will get a fair trial from the jurisdiction that renditioned him.

“By its infamous nature, extraordinary rendition destroys every prospect for a fair trial. Therefore, the next best thing for Nigerian authorities to do is to toe the path of honor and contrition by releasing Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. In the interim, it may choose the easier option of forbearing any objections to reinstatement of Nnamdi Kanu’s bail, which will instantly clear the judicial path to his release.

“Going forward, the authorities can be guided by the recent judgment of the Abia State High which exonerated Kanu from the supervening event that disquieted his bail and ultimately culminated in the extraordinary rendition.”

(PUNCH)

Headline

Russia, China Afraid Of US Under My Administration — Trump

Published

12 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has said Russia and China fear the United States because of the strength of his administration, arguing that American global influence is driven primarily by its military power and leadership.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated that rival powers would not take NATO seriously without the United States, claiming the alliance lacks deterrent force in the absence of American involvement.

He expressed doubts about whether NATO members would come to the aid of the US in a real crisis, despite Washington’s continued commitment to the alliance.

The president credited his leadership with rebuilding the US military during his first term and sustaining its strength, describing this as the key reason adversaries show respect and caution toward the country.

He maintained that America’s military dominance has played a central role in preserving global stability and saving lives.

Trump also argued that his administration forced NATO members to increase defence spending, saying many allies had previously failed to meet financial commitments while relying heavily on the US.

He added that his actions helped prevent further escalation in Eastern Europe and contributed to the resolution of multiple conflicts.

According to Trump, the United States remains the only nation that commands genuine fear and respect from both Russia and China, a position he attributed to his administration’s approach to defence, diplomacy, and global leadership.

“He wrote partly, “The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT.”

Headline

Trump To Withdraw US From 66 UN, International Organisations

Published

13 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has announced plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including key global bodies focused on climate change, peace and democracy.

The decision was disclosed in a presidential memorandum released by the White House on Wednesday evening, following a review of which “organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States.”

According to Trump, the move will see the US end its participation in the affected organisations and cut all related funding.

A list shared by the White House showed that 35 of the organisations are non-UN bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Although listed as a non-UN body by the White House, the IPCC is a United Nations organisation that brings together leading scientists to assess climate change evidence and provide periodic reports to guide political leaders.

The memorandum also announced the US withdrawal from 31 UN entities, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which focuses on maternal and child health.

Several of the targeted UN bodies are involved in protecting vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, including the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

Reacting to the announcement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a note to correspondents on Wednesday evening that the organisation expected to issue a response by Thursday morning.

Despite repeatedly stating his desire to limit US involvement in UN forums, Trump has continued to exert influence on international decision-making.

In October last year, he threatened to impose sanctions on diplomats who formally adopted a levy on polluting shipping fuels that had already been agreed to at an earlier meeting, a move that stalled the deal for 12 months.

The Trump administration also sanctioned UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese after she released a report detailing the role of international and US companies in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

During his first term in 2017, Trump similarly threatened to cut aid to countries that supported a draft UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US wields significant influence at the United Nations, including veto power, which it has repeatedly used to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before later mediating a ceasefire.

(Aljazeera)

Headline

UK Supported US Mission To Seize Russian-flagged Oil Tanker – Defense Ministry

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

The British Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that it provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.

US seized the tanker, which was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington’s efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.

According to Britain, its armed forces gave pre-planned operational support, including basing following a US request for assistance.

The UK also said a military vessel provided support for the US forces pursuing the tanker, and the Royal Air Force provided surveillance support from the air.

Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the operation targeted a vessel with a nefarious history linked to Russian and Iranian sanctions evasion networks.

“This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting,” he said in a statement.

According to him, the US was Britain’s closest defence and security partner.

“The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice,” he added.

The British government said that the Bella-1 tanker, now renamed Marinera, is sanctioned by the US under its counter-Iran sanctions,

The MoD statement said the support was provided in full compliance with international law.