ALOY Ejimakor, lawyer of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written to the European Union (EU) stating that the medical condition of his client is worsening.
Ejimakor, a Special Counsel to Kanu, wrote the letter to the EU on Wednesday, November 16 and posted a copy on his Twitter page @AloyEjimakor.
Today, I sent a 6-page Letter with 4 Annexures to the European Union in Nigeria, seeking its urgent intervention in persuading the Government of Nigeria to do the RIGHT THING by complying with extant court/tribunal decisions & permit MNK his right to independent medical care. pic.twitter.com/OrOD6oroyz
— aloy ejimakor (@AloyEjimakor) November 16, 2022
He believes that the Federal Government would listen to a plea from the EU.
The lawyer urged the EU to urge the Federal Government to cease further criminal prosecution of Kanu and instead constructively engage him in seeking a political solution to the Biafran question.
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He pleaded with the EU Delegation in Nigeria to urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to promptly implement the opinion of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria (Umuahia) regarding Kanu’s case.
He also claimed that the Nigerian government is detaining Kanu in solitary confinement.
“Your excellency, our decision to lay this matter before the EU Mission in Nigeria (and, by extension, to your home governments) was propelled by the stellar human rights record of the EU and the supranational diplomatic influence the EU or the Mission can bring to bear on the Government of Nigeria and persuade it to do the right thing.
“We are also very alarmed at the worsening health conditions of Mr Kanu, exacerbated by the inhumane detention conditions to which he is being subjected, including his solitary confinement since June 27, 2021.
“We trust, therefore, that your mission and home governments will give the most urgent and expeditious attention and consideration to our humble prayers,” the lawyer stated.
Ejimakor added that the intervention of the EU would be necessary in urging the Federal Government to be “guided in all matters relating to Mr Kanu by the letters and spirit of the United Nations Working Group Opinion, the judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria (Umuahia), the judgment of the High Court of Abia State and the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria”.
He also asked the EU to urge the Federal Government to cease further criminal prosecution of Kanu and instead constructively engage him in seeking a political solution to the Biafran question.
Although the Court of Appeal had discharged Kanu in October, the Federal Government claimed that he was only discharged and not acquitted.
Kanu was controversially extradited to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021.
THE Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Monday adjourned Kanu’s trial indefinitely.
The presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, said the court would await the decision of the Supreme Court on appeals that were lodged by both the Federal Government and Kanu’s defence team.
During proceedings on Monday, November 14, the prosecution team led by the Director of Public Prosecution, M.B. Abubakar, informed the court that Kanu refused to present himself for his planned re-arraignment on new charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
Last week, the Federal Government filed an amended seven counts of terrorism against the detained IPOB leader.
The amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, contained all earlier sustained allegations against Kanu.
Appeals filed by the Federal Government and Kanu are pending at the Supreme Court.
The Federal Government is challenging the Court of Appeal judgment that quashed the 15-count terrorism charge it entered against Kanu.
A reporter with the ICIR
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