ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the long delay by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in hearing the appeal lodged before it by the Federal Government against the decision of the Court of Appeal which discharged and acquitted its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the group, the delay is worrisome considering all the accelerated hearing processes filed on the case.
The group said it is suspecting that the recent political developments and ethnic profiling of Ndigbo in Nigeria are also playing out in the case of the IPOB leader.
IPOB therefore, wondered why a case of fundamental rights abuse has been held down at the Supreme court for so long.
In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB said the Supreme Court has accelerated hearing in political cases and wondered why the case of Kanu is different and accused the Supreme Court Justices of not being neutral.
The statement reads: “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu questions the silence and refusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to hear the appeal case of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite all the accelerated hearing processes filed on the case.
“It is evident that the lives of Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, are endangered in Nigeria. We have witnessed the Supreme Court of Nigeria giving accelerated hearings to political cases brought before them but have kept mute over the human rights abuse of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is illegally detained at the DSS solitary confinement or dungeon for almost two years now.
“The continuous silence and refusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to set a date of hearing on the appeals brought before them by the Federal Government against the discharge and acquittal order from the Abuja Appeal Court has shown that the apex Court is not neutral in this case.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a prisoner of conscience, was abducted and tortured in Kenya before he was renditioned to Nigeria by the Nigerian State secret agents.
“On October 13, 2022, the Abuja Appeal Court discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ordered the Nigerian government to pay him adequate compensation.
“Instead of releasing him as ordered by the Appeal Court, the Federal Government ran to the Supreme Court to frustrate the Appeal Court Orders and appealed the case. Over 150 days after this appeal was lodged, the apex Court which ought to be the last hope of the common man has maintained silence thereby allowing the Nigerian government to continue the torture and illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the DSS solitary dungeon of confinement.
“This same Britain had in the past severed or cut off diplomatic relationship with Nigeria for their failed attempt to kidnap and parcel back to Nigeria the Late Umaru Dikko in a diplomatic duffle bag from London to Nigeria under this same Muhammadu Buhari’s military dictatorship.
“Umaru Dikko was not a British citizen, but Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a British citizen. What is the difference between the two abductees from the same tyrant? Umaru was a Fulani, a friend of Britain, while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a Biafran, the perceived foe of Britain. This development should also inform Biafrans in the UK who have been granted British citizenship and British passport to remember that Britain will never protect you as their citizen in time of need.
“The Supreme Court has shown that Biafrans are not safe in Nigeria. These actions justify Biafrans’ quest for a referendum to decide our economic and political future as an Independent Nation. Gone are the days when it is said that the judiciary is the hope of the common man, not anymore in Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s executive arm of government has subjugated both the judiciary and the legislative arms of the same government. The apex cum Constitutional Court must understand that the abuse of Appeal Court orders because it is ruled in favour of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will ridicule them before the whole world and eventually embolden the Executive branch to become a law unto itself going forward.
“We want the Supreme Court Justices of Nigeria and the British government to understand that neither Mazi Nnamdi Kanu nor IPoB will back down on the struggle for the Biafra referendum and independence.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is an oracle that Biafrans revere and can not and will not be traded or exchanged for anything in this world.”