By our reporter
American war veterans of South-East Nigerian descent have cautioned Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court (FHC) Abuja against any form of bias in handling the trial, for alleged terrorism, of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in his court on Friday, March 21, 2025.
They said the world is watching the Kanu matter to see that alleged “illegality is not piled atop illegality.”
These were contained in a statement issued by their group, the American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), in Abuja on Wednesday, March 19.
Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in detention since 2021, is to be charged by the Federal Government (FG) on matters related to his agitation for a separate Biafra nation.
But, AVID rather said that Kanu is a prisoner of conscience and ought not to be put on trial because, according to the group, he has not committed any crime.
In the statement, the group recalled Kanu’s “extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria by government as well as his alleged unlawful detention in the Nigerian DSS dungeon.”
Also, AVID recalled several court judgments in Kanu’s favour that have not been honoured by the FG.
The statement was jointly signed by AVID President, Dr. Sylvester Onyia; Rising Sun President, Chief Dede Maxwell; and President, Ambassadors for Self-Determination, Chief (Engr.) Evans Nwankwo.
The statement, in part, read: “The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), in conjunction with the Rising Sun and the Ambassadors for Self-Determination all located in the Continental United States (CONUS), have meticulously monitored the trajectory for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s subjugation in Nigeria security.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of IPOB has not committed any crime.
“We are aware of his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria as well as his unlawful detention in the Nigerian DSS dungeon.
“Also, we are aware of various court judgments in his favor that have not been implemented.
“In July 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council (through a landmark Opinion issued by its Working Group) states that the appropriate remedy would be for the Government of Nigeria to release Mr. Kanu immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.
“On December 2023, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held that it was wrong to have revoked Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s bail, meaning that his bail should, without more, be restored by virtue of Section 287(1) of the Constitution which states that: ‘The decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court’.
“Based on documented judicial underpinnings, we collectively express disappointment on the mode of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s’s case handling.
”Since he was acquitted by courts, we wonder why government is still trying to prosecute him. He has no case to answer; we demand his immediate and unconditional release now.
“We extend caution to Justice James Omotosho about Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s safety and we stand our ground declaring that a rapist must not try his victim.
“As a judge (Justice James Omotosho), should not make mistake that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case was inherited by President Tinubu’s administration with the awareness that you cannot pile illegality atop illegality when the entire world is watching.
“Finally, the Fulanis under Buhari’s administration committed this heinous crime against the Igbos, saw how empty the charges against Kanu are, pushed it over to the Yoruba President to create dichotomy between the two groups: the Igbos and the Yorubas. Be wise.”
