The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the silence of both the United Kingdom government and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) regarding the ongoing plight of their court-error/” title=”Rights Group Urges Immediate Release of … Citing Supreme …'s 'Fatal Error”>detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, labeling it a betrayal of justice.
In a statement released on Monday by Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Director, the group voiced strong disappointment that the UK, where Kanu holds citizenship, has remained indifferent to what they describe as blatant breaches of legal principles in Nigeria.
IPOB also criticized the NBA for its failure to challenge what they call severe judicial misconduct throughout Kanu’s trial, which began following his arrest in Kenya in 2021.
The organization further accused the Nigerian judiciary of relying on law-review-guarantees-fairness-gov-nwifuru/” title=”Governor Nwifuru Promises Fairness for All Through Comprehensive Review of …'s …s”>obsolete laws and unlawful procedures to justify Kanu’s continued detention, while the NBA has remained silent instead of defending the integrity of the legal profession.
The statement reads:
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is profoundly disheartened and outraged by the persistent silence from both the United Kingdom and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) amid the blatant miscarriage of justice in the ongoing prosecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen and advocate for freedom.
“For over four years, Nigeria’s judicial system has distorted the law beyond recognition, disregarding the Constitution, violating fundamental human rights, and abandoning the core values that uphold judicial respectability.
“What is even more distressing is the quietness of those expected to uphold justice-the UK government, the originator of common law, and the NBA, which is meant to safeguard legal standards in Nigeria.
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“The UK’s silence is deeply troubling.
“The British government has silently observed as its citizen faces unfair treatment by a judiciary that no longer conceals its partiality. How can the UK, the birthplace of the rule of law, remain mute while Nigeria undermines the very foundations of common law?
“The Court of Appeal’s decision to release Mazi Kanu was unjustly reversed through a covert civil procedure that no ethical lawyer would deem legitimate. The Supreme Court ordered his trial to proceed under a repealed statute-the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013-which is no longer valid. He was detained without legal representation, violating his constitutional right to counsel.
“Fabricated witnesses from the Department of State Services (DSS), who admitted to never having met him, were permitted to testify. Even after a Supreme Court justice acknowledged the bias of Justice Binta Nyako, she was reinstated to preside over his case.
“Had this occurred to a British citizen elsewhere, the UK government would have vocally protested. Yet, because the victim is Biafran, there is a deafening silence-a silence that suggests complicity.
“Where is the Nigerian Bar Association?
“The NBA was established to uphold the rule of law. Today, it acts as though intimidated by its own shadow. Where are the seasoned lawyers who once fearlessly confronted authority? Where are the courageous voices that stood against military regimes?
“Instead of championing justice, the NBA now averts its gaze while courts apply obsolete laws to prosecute citizens and judges ignore evident bias, forgery, and political interference within their ranks.
“This timidity is eroding public confidence in the judiciary. Judges should be courageous defenders of justice, not timid bystanders. The bench was once occupied by principled men and women who chose resignation over compromise-now, too many opt for silence over bravery.
“Our appeal to the UK and the NBA:
“You cannot profess to defend justice internationally while ignoring injustice at home or against your own citizens.
“The UK and the NBA must justify their silence. They must advocate for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-not because he is Biafran, but because the very essence of justice is at stake.
“The persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu transcends a mere legal dispute-it reflects the deterioration of Nigeria’s judiciary and the ethical collapse of those entrusted to uphold justice.
“The global community is watching.
History will remember those who remained silent as the law was trampled in broad daylight.”
