Sopuruchi Onwuka
The family and lawyers of pro-Biafran leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have alleged that the government of the United Kingdom has abandoned the indigenous rights activist who holds British citizenship as was abducted while travelling with British passport.
The silence of the British government since Mazi nnamdi Kanu, popularly called MNK, was extraordinarily renditioned while travelling to Kenya also posts caution for other activists in the country citing protection of United Nation’s and the international community.
Supporters of MNK allege that the UK government abandoned him since the day he was seized and tortured by security forces, according to a report by a UK Telegraph newspaper.
His family say he is being held in a small, windowless cell despite a Nigerian appeal court dropping all charges against him and ruling that his arrest and extradition were unlawful.
The United Nations has also called for his immediate release.
His lawyers accuse the UK Government of doing too little to push for his release and failing to condemn his mistreatment, even though he was travelling on a UK passport when seized.
They also fear his life may be in danger in prison.
“This is a serious matter which we would have expected the British Government to be very vocal and reactive about,” Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of Mr Kanu’s legal team, is quoted as saying.
“The UK Government has not done much. The Foreign Secretary has so far failed to reach any view.”
The newspaper independently described MNK as being very popular among many Biafrans for raising calls for a referendum on independence. It also reported Mr Kanu as a divisive figure seen by some people in Nigerian government as a potentially dangerous rabble rouser who raises the spectre of renewed civil strife.
An appeal court dropped the charges and called for his discharge last year, saying he had been subject to extraordinary rendition without proper extradition.
But he remains in security service custody ahead of an appeal before the supreme court in September.
His family earlier this year described the Foreign Office’s handling of the case as “a catalogue of disappointing failings which has left the Nigerian government’s position largely unaltered, and Mr Kanu’s wife and children, all British citizens, unsupported by their Government.”
The Supreme Court is widely expected to side with Mr Kanu, but his legal team warn that his health has deteriorated and allege that he is in danger while in custody.
Mr Kanu’s family told MPs earlier this year that he was being held in a filthy, windowless six foot by six foot cell.
He has not been allowed to change his clothes since he was captured and is given one meal of soup and bread each day.
He has a heart condition and needs treatment for an ear injury his lawyers say he suffered under torture. Nigerian authorities are refusing to let Mr Kanu’s own doctors treat him and his lawyers claim that his life may be at risk if he is forced to undergo treatment by military doctors.
Mr Ejiofor said: “I am 100 per cent sure that if he were made to undergo medical procedures under custody that anything could happen, given the history of how he was abducted, how he underwent extraordinary rendition, how he was tortured.”
A British Foreign Office spokesman however said: “We continue to offer consular support to Mr Kanu and remain in regular contact with his family and legal representatives, and the Nigerian and Kenyan authorities.”
