The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, currently detained, has explicitly stated that he has not solicited any mercy or pardon from the Nigerian government for his release. This clarification comes in response to recent public appeals for his freedom.
In a statement released by Aloy Ejimakor, Esq., head of Kanu’s legal team, it was emphasized that Kanu’s liberation should not be seen as an act of mercy but as an obligation to uphold the rule of law. “Kanu’s release is not a matter of mercy or pardon, but rather a matter of upholding the rule of law,” Ejimakor stated.
This comes after Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, during the inaugural meeting of the House of Representatives committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, urged President Bola Tinubu to “temper justice with mercy” regarding Kanu’s detention.
Recall that Truth Live News had reported earlier this week that Kalu praised President Tinubu for his support and commitment towards peace, development and stability of the South-East region urging the president to release Nnamdi Kanu to ensure a permanent peaceful atmosphere in the South East.
However, Nnamdi Kanu through his legal team has pointed out that both the Federal High Court and international tribunals have ruled his detention as unconstitutional and unlawful, respectively, reiterating that he has not committed any crime and that his detention stems from the Nigerian government’s efforts to criminalize his advocacy for self-determination.
His lawyer wrote: “During my visitation with Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu yesterday, he made it abundantly clear that while he is deeply appreciative of the efforts and the widespread calls being made by well-meaning individuals and groups to secure his release, he however instructed his legal team to issue the following clarifications:
“1. The matter of releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not an act of mercy, pardon, executive clemency or even amnesty. Instead, it should be an act of simply complying with the subsisting Federal High Court judgment that declared his detention as unconstitutional or even the extant international tribunal decisions that separately declared his detention as unlawful. Alternatively, the decision to free him from detention and discontinue his infamous prosecution can be made by simply resorting to the constitutional provisions that empower the Attorney-General of the Federation (on the directives of the President) to discontinue any prosecution.
“2, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is adamant that nobody should plead or beg anybody on his behalf because he has committed no crime. Self-determination which is the real issue that got twisted to suddenly become a high crime is an inalienable right guaranteed under the laws of Nigeria, the United Nations, the United Kingdom and Kenya. Thus, the perverse and unlawful criminalisation of his exercise of this right should not unwittingly be encouraged through some misguided appeals for pardon, clemency or mercy. Thus, releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not an act of mercy or pardon but an act of abiding by rule of law.
“3. In as much as those calling for his release are sincere, their calls for pardon or clemency may be misconstrued as a green light to the executive branch or even the courts to violate the rule of law by continuing to subject Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to a prosecution or trial that does not comport with the tenets of the Constitution and Nigeria’s treaty obligations.
“4. Instead of begging, those desiring his release should emulate the language and tact used by Afenifere, Ohaneze, World Igbo Congress (WIC), ranking members of the National Assembly, American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Ambassadors for Self Determination (based in America), the international community and a host of others who have made it clear that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu deserves to be released because he has committed no offence known to law. If truth be told, it is Nigeria’s executive branch which extraordinarily renditioned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that should show contrition for resorting to extraordinary rendition which is a State crime under international law and and the common law. If any begging must be done, it should be directed to the Courts to conduct his cases and that of IPOB with the utmost impartiality and adherence to rule, equity and good conscience.
“5. Most importantly, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu sincerely thanks everyone working assiduously towards the restoration of security, tranquility and good order in his beloved Igboland.”