Why Nnamdi Kanu May Not Regain Freedom Under Buhari Regime

There are fears that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, will never be free under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

For the past few years, Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has been leading the vanguard for the restoration of Biafra.

The self-declared IPOB leader, who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, was originally detained in 2017 for advocating for Biafra’s independence and, by implication, Nigeria’s disintegration.

After a series of legal fights in Nigerian courts, the case was brought to Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court, who granted him bail.

Kanu fled Nigeria to Israel after being granted bail, then to Europe, where he continued to campaign for the restoration of Biafra.

However, the agitator was apprehended and returned from an unidentified African country a few weeks ago. And the Department of State Security Services, or DSS, has him in custody.

Kanu was accused by the Nigerian government of encouraging violence by directing his followers to attack security personnel in the southeast.

However, as Kanu’s trial starts on Monday, there are concerns that he will not be released and would end up like Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, the head of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), who has been imprisoned for years.

El-Zakzaky was apprehended in December 2015 and is still in prison. In Zaria, Kaduna State, the IMN commander was apprehended for reportedly attempting to assassinate the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Butatai (rtd).

Buratai’s caravan had been attacked by El-followers Zakzaky’s at Zaria. After security forces invaded IMN’s headquarters, the Islamic leader was arrested.

Despite various court orders, El-Zakzaky has not been released since his detention.

El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenatudeen, were granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in December 2016.

The Federal Government was also fined N50 million by Justice Kolawole for the duo’s detention.

El-Zakzaky and his wife were granted bail by a Kaduna State High Court in 2019.

The pair was supposed to receive treatment at Mandeta Hospital in New Delhi, India, but that never transpired.

Despite many bails issued to the IMN leader, the authorities have yet to free him.

However, there are concerns that Kanu, who has not tested his freedom since fleeing the country and abandoning his trial the first time he was given bail, could face the same fate.

Speaking with DAILY POST, a constitutional lawyer, Barrister Uche Madu, said: “I may not like to predict the outcome, since the matter is before a court of law but Kanu may not regain freedom under Buhari’s government.

“Looking at the indications, Kanu may get El-Zakzaky’s treatment. The Shi’ite leader who is a Muslim and a Northerner has been incarcerated since 2015, is it Kanu an Igbo man from the Southeast that would regain freedom?

“Kanu should just forget freedom under this administration. The court may grant him another bail but will the Nigerian government release him? That is the question.

“Though, Kanu’s case is an interesting one because the international communities seem to be watching.”

However, Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor dismissed such, stressing that the case of the IPOB leader was different from that of El-Zakzaky.

Ejimakor stated that Kanu’s trial has a diplomatic angle which may lead to Britain’s involvement.

Speaking with DAILY POST, he said: “I doubt such will be the case. Unlike El-Zakzaky, Kanu’s case has implicated international jurisdiction, particularly the jurisdictions of Britain and Kenya. What triggered these jurisdictions is the extraordinary rendition of Kanu which has destroyed Nigeria’s exclusive jurisdiction.

“Further, apart from the new complications regarding jurisdiction, the dual nationality of Kanu would mean that Britain has an abiding interest in the matter, all to the extent that Kanu will ultimately be entitled to the full weight and credit of British diplomatic protection.”