IPOB Press release
Published On the Biafra Post
April 29, 2025
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) unequivocally condemns the resumption of the sham trial of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, scheduled for April 29, 2025, at the Federal High Court. This trial is not only a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but also a flagrant breach of international law, an act of judicial terrorism, and a mockery of natural justice. We call on all lovers of freedom, justice, and the rule of law—both within Nigeria and across the globe—to stand against this travesty of justice and demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
A Trial Rooted in Illegality
The Nigerian government’s pursuit of this trial is an act of lawlessness, as it violates both domestic and international legal frameworks. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya in June 2021, without due process or fair hearing, constitutes a criminal act of kidnapping and a breach of international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory. The Nigerian government’s actions contravene the following laws:
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended)
Section 36(1) guarantees the right to a fair hearing in all judicial proceedings. The abduction of Mazi Kanu without legal extradition processes in Kenya denies him this fundamental right, rendering any subsequent trial null and void ab initio.
Section 35(1) protects the right to personal liberty. The unlawful detention and rendition of Kanu violate this constitutional safeguard.
Extradition Act of Nigeria (Cap E25, LFN 2004)
Section 3(7) explicitly prohibits the extradition of any person without a fair hearing in the country from which they are being extradited. The Nigerian government’s failure to comply with this provision in Kenya invalidates the entire legal basis for Kanu’s trial.
Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act (TPPA) 2022
Section 2(3)(f) classifies any violation of international treaties, including those prohibiting unlawful rendition, as an act of terrorism. By proceeding with Kanu’s trial after his illegal abduction, the Nigerian government and its judicial collaborators are committing an act of terrorism under their own laws.
International Treaties and Conventions
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR):
Article 7 guarantees the right to a fair trial, including the right to be heard. The rendition of Kanu without due process in Kenya violates this provision.
Article 12(4) prohibits the arbitrary expulsion or transfer of individuals across borders without legal recourse. Nigeria’s actions in Kenya are a direct breach of this article.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR):
Article 9 protects against arbitrary arrest and detention. Kanu’s abduction and ongoing detention without lawful extradition violate this covenant.
Article 14 ensures the right to a fair and public hearing by an impartial tribunal. The Nigerian government’s conduct undermines the impartiality and legality of the trial process.
United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT):
The unlawful rendition and subsequent detention of Kanu, coupled with reports of inhumane treatment, violate Nigeria’s obligations under this convention.
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963):
Mazi Kanu was denied access to consular assistance and legal representation during his rendition, further compounding the illegality of Nigeria’s actions.
A Judicial Farce and an Act of Terrorism
The resumption of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial is not just unlawful; it is an act of judicial terrorism. The Nigerian government’s defiance of court orders, including the July 2021 ruling by the ECOWAS Court and the October 2022 Appeal Court judgment discharging Kanu, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law. As Mazi Kanu himself poignantly stated, “When the rule of law itself seems lunatic, who knows where injustice lies?”
The Federal High Court, under the stewardship of justices like Hon. Justice Binta Nyako and Hon. Justice Omotosho, risks etching its name in infamy by proceeding with a trial that is fundamentally unlawful.
We remind the newly appointed senior advocates in Mazi Kanu’s defense team of their ethical duty to uphold justice without compromise. They must not lend legitimacy to a process that is void ab initio. Any attempt to proceed with a substantive trial will not only violate the laws cited above but also constitute complicity in an act of terrorism as defined by Nigeria’s own TPPA 2022.
No Law Sanctions Kidnapping and Assassination
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a victim of an assassination attempt on his life, which forced him to flee Nigeria for his safety.
There is no law—whether in Nigeria, on earth, or in heaven—that sanctions the kidnapping of a person who escaped such a grave threat. The Nigerian government’s actions are not only a violation of legal principles but also an affront to morality and natural justice. To subject Kanu to a trial under these circumstances is to reward lawlessness and embolden tyranny.
We call on the international community, including the United Nations, African Union, European Union, and human rights organizations, to intervene and halt this judicial travesty. The world must not stand idly by while Nigeria descends into a state of lawlessness under the guise of legal proceedings.
A Warning to the Nigerian Judiciary
To the justices presiding over this case, we urge you to reflect on your legacy. History will not be kind to those who lend their robes to injustice. The Nigerian judiciary must not allow itself to be weaponized as a tool of oppression. The rule of law is not a suggestion; it is the foundation of any civilized society. To proceed with Mazi Kanu’s trial is to declare war on justice itself.
The Indigenous People of Biafra will continue to pursue all lawful avenues to secure the freedom of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the realization of our inalienable right to self-determination. We will not be intimidated, and we will not relent. The light of truth and justice will prevail over the darkness of oppression.
COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL MEDIA AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY.
Free the prisoner of conscience - Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. #FreeMaziNnam
Post A Comment:
0 comments: