Lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra Ifeanyi Ejiofor has alleged that the group’s leader Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and tortured by Kenyan authorities before being handed over to the Department of State Services.
Ejiofor stated this while giving an update of the case on Friday evening on Twitter.
He wrote, “My client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was actually abducted by the accursed Kenya’s Special Police Force on the 18th of June 2021 at their International Airport, and consequently taken to an undisclosed residence under dehumanising conditions.
“He was tortured and subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment which worsened his health condition. He was illegally detained for eight good days in Kenya before being transferred to their Nigerian counterpart.
“He was purportedly investigated on a bogus charge while in their custody, ostensibly awaiting to be handed over after their findings proved him innocent of all the spurious allegations. They later beckoned on their Nigerian counterpart to take over.
“The Kenya government was deeply involved in the abduction, detention and ill-treatment of my client before the illegal handover to their Nigerian counterpart.”
Mr Ejiofor also alleged that the health condition of the IPOB leader was deteriorating, claiming that a scan showed his heart had widened by 13 per cent as a result of how he was handled by the Kenyan government.
He added, “A scan of his heart showed that the heart has enlarged by 13 per cent due to the dehumanising treatment meted out to him. There will be a need for immediate proper medical examination and attention for him.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu conveyed his goodwill message to all IPOB family members worldwide, and craved your unrelentless prayers. We are going back to the court for the needful. Other details cannot be entertained here. His fortified legal team will address these infractions at the proper forum as we progress. Other details on our legal strategy may not be made public.
“With Chukwuokike Abiama on our side, victory is assured. For if God Almighty be for us, who can be against us?”
But Kenya has denied being involved in the matter.
Kenyan high commissioner to Nigeria Ambassador Wilfred Machage told journalists on Friday in Abuja, ”I wish to categorically state that we are not happy at this ridiculous attempt of dragging the name of Kenya and President Uhuru Kenyatta in this matter of arrest and extradition of the self-proclaimed IPOB leader.”
