The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has expressed their dismay over the prolonged detention of their son despite numerous appeals and court orders for his release, describing it as a humiliation not only for their son but also for the entire Igbo race.
The family which was reacting to the recent refusal of Abuja Federal High Court to grant Kanu’s bail application, expressed furry over the ruling of the court and the fate of their son.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, alleged that some selfish politicians who are benefiting from the insecurity in the South East, are behind Kanu’s continued detention.
He wondered why it had become so difficult for Igbo political elite and leaders to book appointment for an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to discuss Kanu’s matter nearly one year when the President took over power.
” How be it nobody among Igbo political leaders has reached Tinubu to discuss Nnamdi Kanu’s release almost a year he came to power?
” Is it not deliberate? Have they not been gaining access to the President concerning other issues? It’s a shame that Kanu is being punished for asking for the freedom of Ndigbo and the leaders have abandoned him to die in DSS custody.
” Kanu is terribly sick and nobody cares! His health is deteriorating everyday. He has not changed his clothe. Why has the court continued to hold him at DSS custody instead of Correctional Centre?”
Kanu’s family insisted that some people are benefiting from his continued incarceration hence the apparent apathy on the part of the political elite to engage the President for his release.
” Why can’t they go for his release if they truly love the South East? Something is definitely wrong somewhere. They are benefiting from his continued detention, and that’s why they are not making any serious move to engage Mr President. Don’t forget that some people sponsored his abduction and extraordinary rendition.
” Why should he be abandoned for asking the freedom of Biafra? He didn’t take up arms against Government but he was tagged a terrorist. Yet the same Government is busy releasing terrorists from detention.”
The family threatened to expose the beneficiaries of their son’s continued incarceration and the insecurity in the South East region.
According to the family, those behind Kanu’s ordeals would be held accountable by the Igbo nation and Biafrans at large should anything untoward happen to him.
“If they fail to act, Ndigbo and Biafrans at large must hold them responsible. And it may get to a point where the masses may no longer be held back.
” Nobody dies with any secret. Very soon all those behind Kanu’s continued detention will be exposed. Those benefiting from the insecurity in the South East are the ones enjoying his continued stay in detention. But nothing lasts forever. One day they will be out of power.”
The family expressed furry that Kanu who on his own had assisted in getting justice for illegally detained inmates had been left to suffer alone.
” Kanu has single handedly funded the release of inmates from different tribes who were unjustly detained while he was at Kuje prison last time. Why should he be now abandoned to rot in DSS custody?”
Kanu’s family further expressed sadness over the refusal of Justice Binta Nyako to grant him bail.
The family wondered if the trial Judge had taken time to go through the certified true copy (CTC), of the Supreme Court ruling on the matter which held that the Federal High Court ought not to have revoked Kanu’s bail in the first place.
According to the family, if truly the trial Judge had digested the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment, the court would not have denied him his bail application at the last hearing on Monday.
Kanu’s family argued that the IPOB Leader “is never afraid of standing trial”, but only regretted that “the conditions they subjected him to do not guarantee justice”.
” Why can’t they allow him to change his clothes? Why will they keep him in DSS custody for years instead of sending him to Kuje Correctional Centre where he can have access to his doctors?
” Has the court bothered to know if its orders are obeyed by the DSS? The way Kanu is being humiliated and handled does not show fairness. The court should not create the impression that it’s acting a script”.