The Government has abandoned a British-Nigerian political activist who campaigned for independence for his homeland after he was seized and tortured by security forces, his supporters say.

Nnamdi Kanu spent years running a radio station from his home in south London, but has been held in solitary confinement for two years by Nigerian security services who seized the activist in Kenya and illegally spirited him back to the country.

His family say he is being held in a small, windowless cell despite a Nigerian appeal court dropping all charges against him and ruling that his arrest and extradition were unlawful. The United Nations has also called for his immediate release.

His lawyers accuse the UK Government of doing too little to push for his release and failing to condemn his mistreatment, even though he was travelling on a UK passport when seized. They also fear his life may be in danger in prison.

“This is a serious matter which we would have expected the British Government to be very vocal and reactive about,” Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of Mr. Kanu’s legal team, told The Telegraph.

“The UK Government has not done much. The Foreign Secretary has so far failed to reach any view.”

Mr. Kanu is leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra group, and for years ran Radio Biafra from his flat in Peckham, calling for independence for the region in south-eastern Nigeria.

The region briefly seceded in the late 1960s, prompting civil war and the deaths of at least a million people, before the breakaway was blockaded and starved into surrender.

Although popular among many Biafrans for raising calls for a referendum on independence, Mr Kanu is a divisive figure, and some in the Nigerian government see him as a potentially dangerous rabble rouser who raises the spectre of renewed civil strife. His group is proscribed as a terrorist outfit in Nigeria.

Mr Kanu had previously spent two years in prison and had fled Nigeria while on bail. In June 2021, he was in Nairobi when his family and supporters say he was abducted and tortured by the Nigerian and Kenyan authorities.

After being beaten for several days, he was put on a small plane back to Nigeria and charged with offences including terrorism and treason.

An appeal court dropped the charges and called for his discharge last year, saying he had been subject to extraordinary rendition without proper extradition. But he remains in security service custody ahead of an appeal before the supreme court in September.

His family earlier this year described the Foreign Office’s handling of the case as “a catalogue of disappointing failings which has left the Nigerian government’s position largely unaltered, and Mr. Kanu’s wife and children, all British citizens, unsupported by their Government.”

The supreme court is widely expected to side with Mr. Kanu, but his legal team warn that his health has deteriorated and allege that he is in danger while in custody.

‘Anything could happen’

Mr. Kanu’s family told MPs earlier this year that he was being held in a filthy, windowless six foot by six-foot cell.

He has not been allowed to change his clothes since he was captured and is given one meal of soup and bread each day.

He has a heart condition and needs treatment for an ear injury his lawyers say he suffered under torture. Nigerian authorities are refusing to let Mr. Kanu’s own doctors treat him and his lawyers claim that his life may be at risk if he is forced to undergo treatment by military doctors.

Mr. Ejiofor said: “I am 100 per cent sure that if he were made to undergo medical procedures under custody that anything could happen, given the history of how he was abducted, how he underwent extraordinary rendition, how he was tortured.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We continue to offer consular support to Mr. Kanu and remain in regular contact with his family and legal representatives, and the Nigerian and Kenyan authorities.”

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/uk-has-abandoned-british-nigerian-activist-held-in-filthy-windowless-cell/ar-AA1dDcyk?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e5db62236ef04bef9df6e2e4e465d84b&ei=105

Lol

He is a terrorist and not an Activist.

God Punish the UK if they stupidly refer to a terrorist as an activist.

Lol maybe British should come and break him out of the Zoo ...

If it was a well organized country like Russia or Ukraine, Israel or Britain they would abduct a top Nigerian official in UK or kenya or any other country and only exchange such a person with Nnamdi Kanu thank God ipob is a brainless coven and they only thing they know is to sit at home and they are not an organized group like we have in middle east.

kettykings:
If it was a well organized country like Russia or Ukraine, Israel or Britain they would abduct a top Nigerian official in UK or kenya or any other country and only exchange such a person with Nnamdi Kanu thank God ipob is a brainless coven and they only thing they know is to sit at home and they are not an organized group like we have in middle east.

How's Isreal that's constantly living in fear an organised country. Stop watching CNN or western media too much.

Pls quote me, so I can school you

The British aren't getting involved as they know the man is a dangerous demagogic orator.

The British already have their hands full by claims its a hub to Islamic, Russian Oligarchs and other unsavory types. Lindon isn't nicknamed "Londonistan" for nothing.

To them, they probably feel MNK in a dingy nigerian cell is "goodbye to rubbish".

STRI1:


How's Isreal that's constantly living in fear an organised country. Stop watching CNN or western media too much.

Pls quote me, so I can school you

I quote you , school me . Israel hunted down all those who participated in holocaust and hid in other countries, Israel also has been fingered in high profile kidnapping. If Nigeria abducts an Israeli citizen they would not fold their hands

STRI1:


How's Isreal that's constantly living in fear an organised country. Stop watching CNN or western media too much.

Pls quote me, so I can school you

una go just open mouth waaaah for internet.
He has quoted you, school am na make we see.

kettykings:


I quote you , school me . Israel hunted down all those who participated in holocaust and hid in other countries, Israel also has been fingered in high profile kidnapping. If Nigeria abducts an Israeli citizen they would not fold their hands

He knows nothing, don't forget kids full here beating their chest like men, if only you could see them in person you will be disappointed, I'm here to catch fun with those miscreants

See,there are "informal" levels of Citizenship.

[1] Naturally Born anglo-saxon Citizens of the Country.

[2] Naturally Born Citizens with immigrant parents from other Countries.

[3] Naturalized Citizens from other Countries.

*** Same way Naturally Born Nigerians will see someone born in Nigeria to Ghanaian Parents(We still call him Ghanaian) or A Ghanaian that Naturalized to become a Nigerian Citizen.

This is the way most of these Western Countries look at their Citizens "unofficially".

If Kanu had fallen in Category [1], He would have been freed long time ago courtesy of UK.......Unfortunately, he forgot that he is in category [3].

Many events have occurred where a lot of Western Countries practice these scenarios" unofficially ".

***I am a Naturalized US Citizen for many decades....and I know how far I can take my US Citizenship noise.

Just mention Mazi Kanu and the rancid, frustrated bigots will crawl outta the sewer to begin the usual rants! Their country is one miserable shithole….heading nowhere positive, yet Mazi Kanu is their problem! Shouldn’t come as a surprise though….a country that allows the criminal like of Buhari and Tinubu emerge as ‘president’, na country be that!?

This is a country where banditry, kidnapping and ethnic-cleansing happens on the regular with no end in sight….a country whose Federal and state gov’ts KNOWS THE LOCATION OF THE BANDITS/TERRORISTS TERRORISING THEIR CITIZENS AND INSTEAD OF GOING TO ROUT THEM OUT, PREFER TO GO AND NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, FOR WHATEVER STUPID REASON….AND THOSE THEY TELL US THEY CAUGHT, ARE ‘REHABILITATED’ AND SENT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, OR WORSE, SIGNED UP TO JOIN THE ARMY!

Even the most daring and imaginative Hollywood script-writer would write off the madness going on in Nigeria as entering the realms of fantasy, but for daft Nigerians, like the ones crawling all over this thread, this is just a normal week in ‘one Nigeria’…..dividends of ‘good’ APC/Buhari/Tinubu governance! These are the lunatics that have taken over and are now running the asylum!

The end justify the means

He’s not British-Nigerian. He is a Nigerian born in Abia State that acquired British Citizenship probably through dubious means. This play on words and emotions like he is a British born Nigerian will not work. He will stay long in that 6x6 prison till he is sentenced for terrorism, treason and other offenses.

If Britain intervene then they are aiding and abetting a terrorist. This is a guy that was granted bail but he jumped bail and ran on YouTube and Facebook inciting terrorism in Nigeria. He was given a chance but he showed everybody that he’s a baboon that belongs in a cage in the zoo.

He is a criminal.

tiger28:
See,there are "informal" levels of Citizenship.

[1] Naturally Born anglo-saxon Citizens of the Country.

[2] Naturally Born Citizens with immigrant parents from other Countries.

[3] Naturalized Citizens from other Countries.

This the way most of these Western Countries look at their Citizens "unofficially".

If Kanu had fallen in Category [1], He would have been freed long time ago courtesy of UK.......Unfortunately, he forgot that he is in category [3].

Many events have occurred where a lot of Western Countries practice these scenarios" unofficially ".

***I am a Naturalized US Citizen for many decades....and I know how far I can take my US Citizenship noise.

So interesting 🤨

I never knew he is a Nigerian

inoki247:
Lol maybe British should come and break him out of the Zoo ...

Kanu is a terrorist not activists. People are dieing everyday in the easy because of this scum

The interesting thing about the Kanu guy is that Nigeria has fixed themselves in a crossroad having grossly mismanaged the situation. A government inability to convince it's own court on the propriety of the trial of someone they call a "terrorist" is a moral low ground.

For instance, if he is released now, he has proven himself tough and worthy having additional followership.

If you keep him for a longer time, frustrations resulting from extreme hardship in the country will be expressed as a widespread call for his release both from the masses and ruling class. History has proven this as a reason most freedom fighters incarcerated for a long time always win.

Lastly, if he is ever allowed to die in prison, his supporters who I suspect to behind attacks on security formations in the SS/SS will find legitimate reason to unleash full-scale assault on defense formations and government infrastructure in the East. Those who will pretend "it doesn't matter" can go and ask British about the horror unleashed by the Irish republican army which culminated in the independence of the Republic of Ireland.

Our government never learns.

tiger28:
See,there are "informal" levels of Citizenship.

[1] Naturally Born anglo-saxon Citizens of the Country.

[2] Naturally Born Citizens with immigrant parents from other Countries.

[3] Naturalized Citizens from other Countries.

*** Same way Naturally Born Nigerians will see someone born in Nigeria to Ghanaian Parents(We still call him Ghanaian) or A Ghanaian that Naturalized to become a Nigerian Citizen.

This is the way most of these Western Countries look at their Citizens "unofficially".

If Kanu had fallen in Category [1], He would have been freed long time ago courtesy of UK.......Unfortunately, he forgot that he is in category [3].

Many events have occurred where a lot of Western Countries practice these scenarios" unofficially ".

***I am a Naturalized US Citizen for many decades....and I know how far I can take my US Citizenship noise.

In the diplomatic world, the British government has a limited right to interfere in as much as the fellow is also a Nigerian citizen.

If he was arrested by another country where he holds no citizenship, the British most likely would have done more.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will still be released and the agitation for Biafra will continue. Keeping him has not stopped the struggle just like keeping most freedom fighters in the past in prison gave the m more followers.

In the end Biafra will come.

Tranquill:


In the diplomatic world, the British government has a limited right to interfere in as much as the fellow is also a Nigerian citizen.

If he was arrested by another country where he holds no citizenship, the British most likely would have done more.

Well said, I agree.