IPOB salutes Kenyan court judgment, says “the world now knows the truth. Kenya has spoken. Justice is rising”
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“Let it be known that this is not the end. This is the beginning of a global accountability campaign. All those responsible – in Kenya, Nigeria, or elsewhere – shall be pursued to the ends of the earth under the universal principle of accountability for crimes against humanity ….
“To the oppressed peoples of the world, this is your victory – a warning to tyrants that international borders will no longer shield criminal regimes from justice” – IPOB
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“A warning to tyrants that international borders will no longer shield criminal regimes from justice,” says the Indigenous People of Biafran (IPOB), in reaction to the Kenyan court ruling that declared the abduction and rendition of Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria in 2021 as illegal.
It came to light on June 27 that the High Court in Nairobi on June 24 declared illegal and unconstitutional Kanu’s violation of human rights, which it said was carried out through the collusion of Nigerian and Kenyan authorities, and awarded the IPOB leader N120 million in damages.
The court ruled that Kanu’s abduction, detention without communication, torture, and subsequent transfer to Nigeria in June 2021 constituted a gross violation of his fundamental human rights under Kenyan and international law.
Kanu has been kept in detention since he was brought to Nigeria and is currently being tried in an Abuja Federal High Court for treason.
A statement issued on Friday by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful described the Kenyan court judgment as a resounding judicial earthquake that has shaken the legal foundations of Nigeria’s judiciary.
“We are grateful beyond measure to the brilliant legal leadership of Professor PLO Lumumba, lead counsel in the Kenyan litigation, whose courage, clarity, and tenacity led to this monumental legal victory,” Powerful said.
“We know, and now the world must acknowledge, that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not commit any crime in Kenya.
“He entered Kenya lawfully as a British citizen. He was abducted in broad daylight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by agents of Nigeria’s secret police in collusion with rogue elements of the Kenyan security apparatus.”
The court found the Kenyan government liable for the violations and awarded Kanu 10 million Kenyan shillings in compensation.
It ruled that Kanu “was tortured and detained incommunicado in violation of the Kenyan Constitution. His removal from Kenya was unconstitutional and illegal.
“The Kenyan government was complicit in the illegal operation in concert with the Nigerian government.”
IPOB reiterated that the verdict places an indelible legal stain on former Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya) and Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) as well as on Nigeria’s former Attorney General Abubakar Malami.
“Let it be known that this is not the end. This is the beginning of a global accountability campaign. All those responsible – in Kenya, Nigeria, or elsewhere – shall be pursued to the ends of the earth under the universal principle of accountability for crimes against humanity.
“To Justice E.C. Mwita, we say thank you for your judicial bravery. To Professor PLO Lumumba and his team, we salute your exceptional advocacy. To the oppressed peoples of the world, this is your victory – a warning to tyrants that international borders will no longer shield criminal regimes from justice.
“To the Nigerian judiciary, let this be a mirror: Justice is not an act of cowardice, but of courage. The world now knows the truth. Kenya has spoken. Justice is rising.”
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