Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, one of the lawyers representing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to release the IPOB leader before May 29 when Bola Tinubu is scheduled to be sworn in as the new president.
Ejimakor on Monday also asked President Buhari to also release other self-determination agitators who are being detained in various correctional centres across the country.
He said it is regrettable that for eight years, people who demanded self-determination were “brutally prosecuted” and renditioned, noting that the only way to close what he described as a “dark era” is to free them before handing over power to a new government.
“Regardless of where you stand on self-determination, it’s regrettable that - for the past 8 years - those who demanded it were brutally persecuted & even renditioned. The only way to close this dark era is to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu & all prisoners of conscience before May 29,” Ejimakor said.
Kanu was rearrested and returned to Nigeria in June 2021 for the continuation of his trial on treasonable felony and terrorism charges levelled against him by the Nigerian government.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal in its judgment discharged and acquitted the IPOB leader of all the charges and ordered his immediate and unconditional release from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody where he is being detained. But the Nigerian government objected to the appellate court ruling and appealed the judgment at the Supreme Court.
The IPOB leader fled the country while standing trial following the invasion of his home in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, in September 2017 by Nigerian soldiers.
His lawyers have argued that the IPOB leader fled the country to save his life following the invasion of his home.