By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has sent a message to Nigerians following a visit by his brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and Abuja-based legal consultant, Dr Maxwell Opara, at the Sokoto Medium Security Prison where he was recently transferred after his conviction.
The IPOB leader has not spoken since being convicted and sent to life in imprisonment in the past week. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice James Omotosho.
He was moved from the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja to the Sokoto prison shortly after the judgment – an action the family and supporters rejected and said was a plot to kill him.
Speaking after meeting him on Friday, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, in a letter he shared with journalists on Sunday, said the IPOB leader instructed him to relay his concerns about the judgment and the circumstances surrounding his transfer.
According to him, Kanu maintained that his conviction “was without legal basis,” arguing that no court can lawfully convict an individual under a law that has already been repealed.
Prince Emmanuel quoted him as saying, “His final written address which anchored on fair hearing was also denied. He emphasized that the evidence relied upon by the court was not included in the charge sheet or presented as evidence against him.
“Additionally, the court’s reliance on struck-out charges from Justice Binta Nyako was a significant issue,” he said.
He added that Kanu, upon reviewing the judgment from prison, identified what he described as “numerous errors” which he believes undermined the entire trial.
The IPOB leader, he said, urged “well-meaning Nigerian justices, magistrates, and lawyers to carefully examine the judgment and uphold the laws of the land and the Nigerian Constitution.”
Kanu was also said to have questioned why favourable rulings from different courts and international bodies were ignored in the conviction.
“He questioned the disparity between the rulings from the Umuahia High Court, Enugu, the Court of Appeal, the United Nations, and the Supreme Court, which all stated that the laws under which he was charged are repealed and must be amended, yet were ignored,” Prince Emmanuel said.
He explained that the transfer of Kanu to Sokoto has further heightened concerns about his health and welfare, noting that the family and legal team had repeatedly warned that such relocation could endanger him.
Despite the situation, Kanu expressed gratitude to Nigerians who have continued to show support, insisting that injustice against one person threatens everyone.
In his words, “I am Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who will reject injustice, unfairness, and evil against anybody regardless of your tribe, faith, and ethnic background. Injustice to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is injustice everywhere. I remain thankful for all your supports, prayers, and your good thoughts. Elohim bless you all.”
Prince Emmanuel appealed to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to ensure Kanu’s rights are protected, especially as tensions continue to rise over his imprisonment and relocation.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
