The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) says it aligns itself with the judgement of a High Court in Abia State ordering the federal government to pay the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, N1 billion damages for violating his human rights.

In addition, the court also ordered the federal government to apologise to Kanu.

Kanu had, in August last year, filed a case for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, accusing the federal of violating his human rights by sending soldiers who invaded his country home in Afara Ukwu in Umuahia, Abia State, on September 14, 2017.

Kanu also contended that his rendition from Kenya to Nigeria last year was equally a violation of his rights. He asked the court to order the federal government to pay him N5 billion in damages.

Delivering judgement in the case Wednesday, Justice Benson Anya ruled that federal government should pay Kanu N1 billion and also apologise to him.

HURIWA,in a statement Wednesday endorsed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it “strongly endorses” the decision of the Abia state high court.

“HURIWA supports the order for Government to tender apology to Nnamdi Kanu. The matter was about the invasion but we do think that the landmark judgment suffices for the illegal abduction that the Nigerian government subjected him to in Kenya.

“The action of President Muhammedu Buhari’s federal government to abduct Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya is illegal and constitutionally a crime against humanity. The invasion of his father's house and the killing by security forces of many of his friends and relatives are unlawful.

“Yes! what the government did to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by kidnapping him from from Kenya is not justiciable under the Nigerian law.

“Importantly, subjecting a citizen of Nigeria or citizen of another country to rendition is an international crime, given the fact that torture is applied. The invasion of his Father's house in Umuahia was illegal,” the statement added.

According to Onwbiko, “The import of the Abia state high court ruling in the case between Nnamdi Kanu against the federal government goes to show that the allegations made by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that he was kidnapped are valid and substantial and that the attempt to kill him here in Nigeria was actually made by security forces.”

Explaining why Nigeria should apologise to Kanu, HURIWA since Kenya denied knowing anything about his arrest, “we think, with all due respect, that Nigerian government should apologize to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and pay him the one billion Naira without delay. Any move by the government to appeal this landmark and unimpeachable verdict will amount to colossal waste of public fund.”

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