IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that Nigeria's Supreme Court is hindering the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu from detention despite his worsening health condition.
IPOB said that the Supreme Court has continued to deny justice to Kanu despite the ruling of the Appeal Court on October 13, 2022, which acquitted and discharged Kanu of any wrongdoing.
A statement by IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the action of the Supreme Court is deliberate since the Supreme Court justices are capable of speeding up action on the matter as they do with cases involving politicians, according to a report by SaharaReporters.
“Instead, they deliberately decided not to fix a date to hear the appeal before them. It has been over 100 days since their Federal Government appealed the judgment of their Appellate Court, which discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yet the Supreme Court has not fixed a date for the hearing, IPOB said.
“IPOB and Biafrans perceive the Supreme Court Justices as colluding with the Federal Government to delay and deny Mazi Nnamdi Kanu justice.
"The Nigeria Government, which violates international law of extradition and disobedience of court orders, is enjoying immunity because Supreme Court Justices have decided to trade justice for obedience to the executive arm of the government.
“If Supreme Court Judges can expedite actions on the cases involving Nigerian politicians, what stops them from expediting action on the extraordinary rendition and human rights abuse of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently very sick?”
IPOB further sought to know if “the Supreme Court Justices are biased or are they promoting ethnic bigotry in dispensing justice?”
“Do the men on the bench want the world to believe that they are the executive branch of Nigeria government's stooges?” it asked.
According to IPOB, Kanu’s worsening health condition is more than enough evidence for the Supreme Court to hasten action on his case “if indeed they are not bullied or intimidated by the executive branch of the Nigerian government to stand down on this case. It is said that justice delayed is justice denied.
“We in IPOB think that the Supreme Court Justices are aiding and abetting the Federal Government of Nigeria in torturing and denying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu justice by refusing to fix a date to hear the appeal before them.
The group warned that:
“If anything else that is more severe happens to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS solitary confinement, the Supreme Court Justices and the Federal Government of Nigeria should be held responsible.
" Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case will test the boldness and independence of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as stipulated in their Constitution. The world is waiting for the Supreme Court to prove their independence.”
The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of Nigeria's secret police, DSS since June 2021 when he was extraordinarily rendered to Nigeria from Kenya.
IPOB is a pro-self-determination group pushing for the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra which existed briefly in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
Human Rights.
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