The Kenyan government has admitted in court that the arrest of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu did not go through extradition proceedings
According to the IPOB leader’s brother Kingsley Kanunta, the Kenyan government made the admission in a defence filed before a Kenyan court in response to a suit initiated by him.
Kingsley Kanunta disclosed this in a statement he signed, titled: “Kenya confirms in Court that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not undergo extradition proceedings in Kenya.”
The IPOB leader was arrested and extradited from Kenya in June 2021.
Following public outcry, the Kenyan government had denied involvement in Kanu’s arrest and extradition.
However, Kanunta said the Kenyan government had no knowledge of Kanu’s arrest in its country.
According to the statement: “On 2nd November 2021, the Government of Kenya filed its defence to the suit I had earlier filed in Kenya on behalf of my brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“In the said defence that it filed in Court, Kenya has not only persisted in its denials, but it went further to confirm that my brother was denied the benefit of the due process of extradition in Kenya or even a lawful arrest.
“In particular, the defence the Kenyan Government filed in court stated in major part ‘That there are no extradition proceedings to justify that the Government of Kenya is responsible for the subject’s extradition’ “.
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It further stated: “That there is no OB record from any of the police stations within the country to indicate that the subject in issue was lawfully arrested and detained for purposes of commencing extradition proceedings”.
He stressed that the stance of the Kenyan government had shown that Kanu’s arrest was unlawful.
Kanunta maintained that the Nigerian Government could not benefit from its wrong doings in Kanu’s case.
“It needs to be emphasized that above admissions have officially confirmed our long-held position that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s transfer from Kenya to Nigeria is unlawful, not lawful as was claimed by the Nigerian Government.
“This latest revelation, officially made in open court by Kenya, further solidifies our abiding position that the Nigerian Government cannot benefit from its own wrong by subjecting my brother to trial.
“As the next hearing date unfolds to 7th December 2021, more legal processes will be in view. Our immediate goal is to secure the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention,” the statement added.
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