President Buhari, release Pro-Biafran Activist, Nnamdi Kanu From Detention.

On October 17, 2015 Mr Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of a Nigerian pro-Independence group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and a Director of the online radio station, Radio Biafra was arrested in Lagos, Nigeria, by the Department of Security Services (DSS) on arrival from the United Kingdom where he resides.The IPOB movement is agitating for the independence of Nigeria’s former Eastern Region – proclaimed the Republic of Biafra in 1967 and re-annexed to Nigeria three years later, following a civil war that claimed over three million lives.

The Pro-Biafra group are non-violent and according to Article I of the Charter of the United Nations, these nearly 79 million people are covered under the Self-determination Right of international law to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Irrespective of our political disagreements and leaning, Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom and over 600 detained IPOB members cannot be infringed by the Nigerian government under any pretext and their continued detention should condemned by all.

We call upon the international community  and human rights organisations, the British Prime Minister Theresa May, the United States President, Barack Obama, other world leaders, House of Commons, US Senate & Congress, EU and the Security Council of the UN to demand the immediate release of Mr Nnamdi Kanu and intervene in this matter in accordance with International law.

The Nigerian government should understand that the arrest and detention of IPOB members, including Mr Kanu and the extra-judicial killing of their members in government custody will not prevent genuine and appropriate demands for referendum and Independence for the eastern  people’s . The government’s current draconian approach is only attracting sympathies and support from those that hitherto  did not share or believe in the idea and struggle.

It is pertinent that Mr Nnamdi Kanu, all detained IPOB members be released immediately from detentions camps and the bodies of IPOB members executed by Nigerian government’s secret services and the Prisons be exhumed wherever they were dumped, and returned to their families. Their freedom, right of association and expression must not be subject to contest.