Kanu: American veterans, others call out UK  *Say silence, double standard tantamount to duplicity 

 

Kanu: American veterans, others call out UK

*Say silence, double standard tantamount to duplicity

By Steve Oko

Igbo diaspora groups including the American Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID; Ambassadors for Self-Determination, ASD; and the Rising Sun Foundation, RSF; have slammed the United Kingdom, for keeping mute over the “abduction, extraordinary rendition, and sentencing to life imprisonment”, of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, “a British citizen”, in gross violation of conventions and international laws.

The groups in a joint statement on Tuesday, expressed shock that British Government had yet to react to “the injustice meted to Kanu by the Nigerian Government despite his being a British citizen.”

The statement signed by AVID President Dr Sylvester Onyia; ASD President, Evans Nwankwo; and Maxwell Dede of the RSF, recalled that Kanu’s ordeal began with his illegal rendition from Kenya in June 2021, an operation, it said, was executed without extradition proceedings.

It expressed surprise that a British citizen was sentenced to life imprisonment “under a repealed law,” despite a binding Court of Appeal acquittal issued on October 13, 2022, and Britain never bothered to react.

The statement maintained that Kanu was renditioned in stark violation of UK–Nigeria Extradition Treaty (2008);
the European Convention on Extradition;
the UN Convention Against Torture (Article 3); as well as Nigeria’s domestic laws, which bar trying a renditioned suspect.

It read:”Despite the gravity of these violations—and the fact that Kanu was abducted as a British passport holder broadcasting peacefully from London, where IPOB is legally registered—the UK Government has issued no statement since the November 20 sentencing.

“This silence is unprecedented, alarming, and inconsistent with Britain’s global human-rights posture”.

According to the statement, “the silence of the United Kingdom—custodian of Magna Carta and birthplace of modern human rights law—is deeply troubling.”

It said such silence “sends a dangerous message:That realpolitik can override the rights of its own citizens, and that fair trial standards are negotiable depending on who is involved.”

Arguing that “silence is duplicity”, the US-based Igbo and human rights groups averred that “this injustice will not be allowed to stand.”

The statement further read:”Since the life sentence, there has been no statement, no parliamentary briefing, no diplomatic protest, and no sanctioning of Nigerian officials.

“This silence stands in stark contrast to the UK’s response to cases involving far less egregious violations.”

The statement said”UK’s indifference reads as tacit endorsement of a sham process.”

“The UK has offered no explanation for its failure to:condemn the international abduction of its citizen; demand compliance with the 2022 appellate discharge of Kanu; and reject trial under a repealed terrorism statute.”

It also wondered why the UK had failed to respond to the “fabricated claims in Omotosho’s judgment, including false allegations that Kanu threatened UK/US missions”.

The statement argued that the sad implication of UK’s silence is that “the UK is failing its own citizen, and violating its duty of diplomatic protection.”

It recalled that the UK has historically been vocal on :”Alexei Navalny (Russia); Aung San Suu Kyi (Myanmar);
Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong); Julian Assange (Australia/US); yet for Kanu—a British national facing rendition, torture, illegal detention, and conviction under a repealed law—the UK has chosen silence.”

It said that “this selective approach undermines Britain’s credibility as a champion of human rights and due process.”

The groups accused Britain of bias against Igbo self determination struggles.

“We perceive the UK’s failure to protect Kanu—coupled with Omotosho’s fabricated allegations of threats against UK/US missions—as part of a pattern of calculating neglect, reminiscent of Britain’s 1967–1970 role during the Biafran War.”

“The implication is that silence fuels distrust and reinforces a belief that the UK prioritizes geopolitical convenience over justice.”

The groups among other things, demanded UK to provide Full Consular Support including medical access and monitoring of detention conditions of Kanu; and to launch a Parliamentary Inquiry into the UK’s response to Kanu’s rendition and ongoing detention.

It also called for a review of possible sanctions Under the UK Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations (Magnitsky model) against officials involved in Kanu’s rendition, and torture.