Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer, Ejimakor, Tells Britain Kanu Was, Illegally, Forced Back To Nigeria; Asks For Help

By Gideon Njoku

Stopping short of screaming abduction, Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor of ADULBERT   LEGAL SERVICES, has told the British Government that his client, its citizen was forced back to  Nigeria, illegally, by the Nigerian Government.

Kanu has a dual citizenship of both Nigeria and Britain. But at the time of his arrest, he was carrying only his British passport, and traveled on it.

In a letter to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing CB, Ejimakor asked that “Mr  Kanu be granted every Consular assistance to which he is entitled as  British citizen.”

He also asked that Kanu, who he referred to as Okwu-Kanu, apparently the name with which he is known in Britain, and with which he acquired his British passport, be categorized as a political prisoner, and be  given diplomatic protection.

Ejimakor’s request: “That Kanu be categorized as a high profile political prisoner  or a prisoner of conscience, and be thus rendered the highest diplomatic protection under municipal and international laws”

He also asked that Kanu be granted access to his doctors and lawyers, and allowed to go to any hospital  of his choice,”

Emphasizing what he described as the illegality of Kanu’s arrest, Ejimakor noted that his client, “Mr Kanu is a British citizen who was traveling on a valid British passport when he was seized in a third country, and forcibly brought to Nigeria. Such act constitutes an unlawful rendition of a bona-fide citizen.”

In sum, Ejimakor notes that Kanu is not a criminal, and wants the “British authorities to file a Diplomatic Note or other legal process with Nigeria’s Federal High Court and the office of the  Attorney General  of Nigeria indicating her sovereign interest in Mr Kanu’s matter.”

Following is the full text of Ejimakor’s letter to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria.

Adulbert Legal Services

11 Ukpo Close, off Oro-Ago Crescent

Garki, Abuja FCT, Nigeria

Phone: +234 803 265 1660

Email: [email protected]

June 30, 2021

Catriona Laing CB

British High Commissioner to Nigeria

British High Commission

Plot 1137

Diplomatic Drive

Central Business District

Abuja

Dear Madam High Commissioner

RE: Urgent Request For Consular Assistance To OKWU-KANU, Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Kenny (A British Citizen)

We are Solicitors to above-named British citizen, on whose behalf and Instruction we write this Letter to request an urgent Consular assistance to him.

Mr. Okwu-Kanu (aka Nnamdi Kanu) is the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra, both of which are corporate citizens of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Kanu resides in the United Kingdom, from which soil he departed on an overseas travel on or about June 19, 2021 on a British Passport No: 556543086 (copy of biographic page attached herewith).

We are reliably informed that while he was on said overseas travel, he was intercepted in Kenya by Nigeria’s foreign security agents and brought to Nigeria against his will on or about June 27, 2021 and ‘arraigned’ before the Federal High Court in Abuja without benefit of Counsel on June 29, 2031. Currently, he is being detained in the custody of the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) in Abuja.

Your Excellency, permit us to point to a few legal, political and diplomatic issues that have been implicated in this matter. They are:

1. Mr Kanu is a British citizen who was traveling on a valid British passport when he was seized in a third country and forcibly brought to Nigeria. Such act constitutes an unlawful rendition of a bonafide British citizen.
2. He was not traveling on Nigerian passport or the passport of any other country, including that of Kenya.
3. There is no extant Order of extradition by any British Court or any other foreign Court (including Kenya) and we are informed that there is no pending extradition proceedings standing against him in Britain or Kenya.
4. There is no deportation Order by any Kenyan Court or other authority that made him subject to deportation. But if there was, the country of his deportation should have been Britain on which passport he was travelling. Deporting him to Nigeria just because he was borne in Nigeria, but not traveling on her passport, is unlawful under international law.
5. The enterprise upon which Mr Kanu is engaged, which is: seeking the restoration of the defunct State of Biafra through a referendum is a protected political opinion (i.e self determination) under British and Nigerian Laws, where it is enacted at CAP A9, Article 20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
6. In our view, the manner of his interception and forcible deportation to Nigeria is extra-legal and does not comport with the pertinent international laws and treaties to which Nigeria is subject.

On the basis of the foregoing, we hereby make the following Prayers:

1. That Mr Kanu be granted every possible Consular assistance to which he is entitled as a British citizen.
2. That Mr Kanu be categorized as a high profile political prisoner or a prisoner of conscience and be thus rendered the highest diplomatic protection under municipal and international laws.
3. That the Nigerian authorities be prevailed upon to immediately allow access to Mr Kanu by his Lawyers, Doctors and Family members.
4. That the Nigerian authorities be prevailed upon to immediately avail Mr Kanu the opportunity of being taken to any hospital of his choice for medical examination.
5. That the British authorities file a Diplomatic Note or other legal process with Nigeria’s Federal High Court and the Office of the Attorney General of Nigeria indicating her sovereign interest in Mr Kanu’s matter.
6. That the British authorities declare that Mr Kanu is not a criminal but a person who possesses a political opinion the Nigerian authorities are seeking to suppress by means of punishment of some sort.
7. That the British authorities urgently demand the unconditional release of Mr Kanu from detention.

While we await your urgent and most favorable considerations of our Prayers, please be assured of our highest esteem for Your Excellency, the High Commission and the British Government.

Sincerely:

ADULBERT LEGAL SERVICES

Aloy Ejimakor, Esquire

Recall that Kanu was re-arrested on Saturday night in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria on Sunday.

On Monday, he was hauled before a Federal High Court, Abuja, where he was being tried for alleged treason.

He was admitted to bail, but escaped from Nigeria when Federal troops invaded the Palace of his father, a king. Kanu alleged they were on a mission to kill him. During the invasion, Kanu said  a number of people, and their family dog were killed. His parents, too, escaped, but sadly died in exile. Their  bodies were brought back to Nigeria, and buried same day. Kanu was not able to attend their funeral for fear of a possible arrest.

After his escape, he made himself unavailable until he surfaced in an Isreali Synagogue.

His trial will continue on July 26.