By TINA TIMOTHY

The decision of the United Nations (UN) against Nigeria and Kenya for the unlawful rendition and detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been applauded as a welcome development.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), in a statement on Sunday, July 24, 2022, signed by its Board Chair, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, International Justice and Human Rights, Ndidiamaka Chinaza Bernard Esq., and Head, Campaign and Publicity, Chidinma Udegbunam, Esq., said the Nigerian Government under Buhari, though acceding to regional and international treaties, has no regard for them and lamented that despite, several reports by numerous right groups, the Buhari-led government “has continued to refuse to ensure speedy, fair trial of the IPOB Leader…. or discharging and acquitting him for want of triable evidence clearly defined and known to written criminal laws in Nigeria.”

The statement partly reads: “Intersociety wishes to commend the UN Rights Council on Arbitrary Detention over its recent landmark decision concerning the unlawful rendition of IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria by the authorities of the Governments of Nigeria and Kenya and his continued detention without proper trial under the captivity of the Nigeria's secret police, the DSS. It is sad and deeply disappointing that the present Government of Nigeria has continued to make mockery of regional and international treaties the country willingly acceded to, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, enacted in 1976 and willingly acceded to or ratified by Nigeria in 1993. As exhaustively explained or elaborated by the UN Rights Council Working Committee on Arbitrary Detention, the Nigerian Government under Buhari has remained the worst violator of the country's regional and international treaty obligations; and by this, the present central Government in the country is not only grossly undermining the international peace and security under UN and AU Systems but also constituted a threat to same. The latest UN bashing on Nigeria, is one out of numerous similar pronouncements or verdicts in recent times as cited in the UN Report, including various verdicts of the ECOWAS and the AU Rights Courts and other UN Bodies, as well as several other local and international damning reports by respected rights bodies and others, including Amnesty International, Christian Solidarity International, Intersociety, UK Inter-Parliamentary Committee on International Religious Freedom, International Committee on Nigeria and respected others.

“Sadly and shockingly, these reports have holistically continued to be observed by the present Nigerian Government in monumental breach. Nigeria has continued to refuse to ensure speedy fair trial of the IPOB Leader and conclusion of same; or discharging and acquitting him for want of triable evidence clearly defined and known to written criminal laws in Nigeria. Instead, the country, under Buhari, has continued to prove that it is a 'Government of vindictiveness, ethnic hatred and profiling.' The Nigerian Government has also gone against all known constitutional rights provisions on arrested and detained persons by detaining them arbitrarily without fair and proper trials. It is also to the extent that the Buhari Government has recklessly resorted to indiscriminate use of 'hate profiling and prosecutorial vindictiveness' which clearly amount to persecution of arrested and unprocessed and untried citizens on the grounds of their ethnicity or tribe and faith or religion.”

Intersociety also called on all those who have in one way or the other suffered “horrendous state crimes” to get ready for what it termed “Judgement Day,” saying that all perpetrators, especially since 2015, will be brought to book. The group also called on other human rights groups, local and international, to assist victims in this regard.

The statement continues, “Finally, Intersociety is strongly calling on all victims of horrendous State Crimes in Nigeria under Buhari to buckle up for the nearing JUDGMENT DAY.

“This is considering the fact that JUDGMENT DAY is drawing closer when all perpetrators of horrendous State crimes in Nigeria, especially since 2015, will be called upon to account for atrocities perpetrated.

“It is the solemn and conscientious duty of leading and respected local and international human rights groups and activist lawyers to rise up strongly in the aid of victims of horrendous State Crimes and other internationally prohibited acts in Nigeria or any part thereof especially dating back to August 2015 by assisting them or directly filing compensatory and punitive lawsuits locally and internationally so as to get adequate compensations for the victims and behind the bar punishments against those responsible for the perpetrators and perpetuators of the horrendous State Crimes.

“These are in accordance with the ‘International Law’s Principle of Complimentarity’, as most, if not all the horrendous State Crimes perpetrated in Nigeria under Buhari are expressly admissible, jurisdictional and triable. This is chiefly because none of them has been properly investigated and remedied within the framework of domestic judicial process by relevant authorities in the country; thereby making their perpetrators and sponsors to elusively remain on the prowl as untouchable repeat-offenders.”

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