UK parliament debates Kenya’s role in Nnamdi Kanu’s repatriation today
The United Kingdom Parliament is set to commence a debate on the repatriation of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria today (Wednesday).
The British government had clarified that Nnamdi Kanu, who was travelling with a British passport, was not arrested within its shores.
IPOB had accused the Buhari regime of abducting its leader in an East African country, a claim confirmed by Kanu’s attorney, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who accused Kenya’s special police force of arresting and torturing him before he was handed over to the Nigerian government.
Meanwhile, Kenya High Commissioner to Nigeria, Wilfred Machage, had refuted claims that Kanu was arrested in the country.
But the UK Parliament, in a parliamentary schedule posted on its website said it will set aside a debate on Wednesday, July 7, to discuss the British government’s assessment of Kenya’s role in Mr. Kanu’s arrest.
According to the document, Lord Alton of Liverpool will be raising the issue at the House of Lords and will query the government on the separatist leader’s transfer to Nigeria.
“Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the alleged role of the government of Kenya in the detention and alleged mistreatment of Nigerian activist Nnamdi Kanu, (2) the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr. Kanu to Nigeria against his will, and (3) of any assistance being provided to him by the High Commission in Abuja. HL1665,” the document read.
NBA reacts to comments made by its Vice President
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olumide Akpata, has disowned comments made by the 1st Vice President of the association, Mr John Aikpokpo-Martins.
Aikpokpo-Martins was quoted to have said the President of Nigeria was constitutionally bound to crush secessionist agitators in Nigeria.
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But Akpata in a statement, said, “The views expressed by the first Vice President are his personal views which he posted on his Facebook account in the course of an online exchange, and that the said views do not represent the position of the NBA on the subject.”
Presidency hails security agencies over Kanu, Igboho
Similarly, the Presidency has commended security agencies involved in the re-arrest and repatriation Kanu and the raid on the residence of Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Igboho.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement titled, ‘Presidency Statement on the Recent Successes of Security and Intelligence Agencies,’ in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The statement reads partly, “Last week, we saw the enhanced collaboration of the Nigerian law enforcement agencies, as they executed with great synchronisation arrests of individuals who had inflicted pain and hardships on fellow citizens.”
Shehu who recounted Kanu’s alleged offences, said, “By this singular action of our security forces, sanity, calm and peace have been returned to our communities.”
Speaking on last Thursday’s raid on the residence of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, the Presidency said assault weapons are not tools of peace-loving people and as such, the security agencies would treat all bearers of small arms the same.
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