The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has proclaimed its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as Prisoner of Conscience.
According to the group, the announcement followed Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria without proper documentation for doing so and long incarceration and detention in DSS custody.
This was contained in a statement released by the proscribed group through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
IPOB stressed that Kanu was fighting for freedom and self-determination of his people which it said is not a crime under the United Nations and African Union Charters to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The group further raised the alarm on ongoing extrajudicial detentions, persecution and widespread human rights violations in Nigeria, calling for quick intervention of the United States, Isreal, the European Union, African Union, United Nations, Amnesty International, and all lovers of freedom.
The statement reads in part, “In 2015, Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested and subjected to egregious violation of his fundamental rights. After his miraculous escape from the military invasion of his home in 2017, he was abducted in Kenya and renditioned to Nigeria in June this year.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been in DSS detention in Abuja ever since then. We therefore, have to inform the world, mostly civilised countries and Africa continent that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is fighting for the freedom and self-determination of his people because under the United Nations Charter to which Nigeria is a signatory, self-determination is not a crime.
It’s a matter of public record that hundreds of concerned citizens exercising their rights to peaceful protest, protested the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu but were massacred in cold blood by Nigerian security services.
“Many more were arrested without trial. Some disappeared and have never been found till today. During the military invasion of his residence, code named operation Python Dance, Mazi Kanu was almost killed save for his miraculous escape.
“In 2021 he was kidnapped by the Nigerian government in Kenya and subjected to extraordinary rendition to Nigeria against his will and against all norms and rules of international laws.
“In both instances, he committed no offence known to law. He only advocated self-determination for his people and all oppressed peoples in Nigeria.
“He did so peacefully by articulating the decades of oppression, marginalisation, inequality, apartheid, brutality and genocide to which his people and all oppressed peoples in Nigeria have been subjected.
“In light of those grievances he demanded a referendum on self -determination and self- rule for the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and all aggrieved groups and lovers of freedom.
“In doing so, he bore no malice nor hate against any group. He only demanded self-determination as enshrined in the African Charter and the United Nations Charter both of which Nigeria is signatory.
“The indigenous peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has been, and remains a peaceful organisation, devoid of any hate or violence and totally committed to its aims and objectives through peaceful democratic means as recognised by international laws.
“Having regards therefore to all of the above and his continued extrajudicial detention; we hereby declare Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a ‘Prisoner of Conscience’.