Kanu’s Family Implores S’East Governors to Secure His Release from Detention
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
With no end in sight in the detention and trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his family has sought the intervention of the South East governors to effect his release.
The family expressed their desperation in an emotion-laden open letter addressed to the governors, signed by Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the family spokesman and younger brother of the detained Biafra activist.
In the letter entitled, ‘Unlawful Detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Prisoner of Conscience’ made available to the media in Umuahia Wednesday, the family spokesman urged the South East Governors to act with “utmost urgency” given the failing health of the IPOB leader.
Prince Emmanuel said that the governors should, like Kanu’s family, be “deeply concerned” about his “unlawful and unjust detention”, adding that it should prick their conscience that an act of illegality was being perpetuated under their watch.
He appealed to the state chief executives “to rectify this grave injustice without delay” by using their individual and collective good offices to get the authorities to free the Biafra activist.
The Kanu family spokesman called on the Governors “to take immediate and decisive action to secure the release of my brother” whose continued detention was ab initio politically motivated.
“It is your duty as the Governors to ensure the protection of every individual’s civil liberties, regardless of their beliefs or affiliations. Your obligation to uphold the principles of justice and fairness should guide your actions in every decision made,” he pleaded.
He said: “In recent events, it has become abundantly clear that my brother, a law-abiding citizen and a prisoner of conscience, has been wrongfully held against his will and his fundamental human rights have been violated under your watch.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a man of impeccable character and a strong advocate for justice, freedom, and equality.
“He has consistently stood up for the righteous causes in our society, challenging the status quo and working tirelessly to bring about positive change”.
According to him, it has become a “truly disheartening” irony that Kanu’s “unwavering commitment to safeguarding human rights” has been “met with such callousness and disregard for basic principles of justice”.
Prince Emmanuel pointed out that the details of Kanu’s arrest and subsequent detention “are deeply troubling and indicative of a systemic failure within our justice system”.
Alluding to the ongoing court trial, he noted that the charges brought against Kanu “are baseless and appear to be nothing more than an attempt to silence his voice and undermine his campaign for social justice”.
Prince Emmanuel reiterated the popular belief that the IPOB leader’s ordeal has become a political chess game being played by some interest groups uncomfortable with his freedom.
“It is clear that his detention is politically motivated, solely aimed at suppressing his activism and preventing him from continuing his valuable contribution to our society,” he said.
“As a concerned family member, I strongly condemn the unlawful detention of my brother and the blatant violation of his rights”
While insisting on the freedom of his senior brother, Prince Emmanuel called for “a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention”.
He further stated that “those responsible for these egregious violations” must be held accountable” and urged the five Southeast Governors to ensure that all charges against Kanu “are dropped, as they lack any substantiated evidence”.
The distraught brother of the Biafra separatist agitator warned the Governors that “by allowing this flagrant violation of human rights to persist, your offices are complicit in the suppression of justice”.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is gravely ill and dying slowly. Biafra land will hold you all accountable should anything happen to him,” he said.
