Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has warned President Bola Tinubu against disregarding the United Nations Human Rights Council’s opinion on Kanu’s case, as former President Muhammadu Buhari did. Ejimakor emphasized that Nigeria is obligated to implement the UN’s decision, which directed the Nigerian government to release Kanu and provide compensation for his “extraordinary rendition” from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021.
The UN Working Group’s 17-page Opinion stated that Kanu’s immediate release and enforceable right to compensation are necessary, in accordance with international law. As a member of the UN, Nigeria is legally bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Ejimakor stressed that Nigeria’s ratification of these treaties makes it subject to the UN’s decisions, and it is duty-bound to implement this decision promptly. Despite receiving the Opinion in July 2022, former President Buhari failed to comply .
Ejimakor urged President Tinubu to take action, stating that Kanu has endured unjust detention for three and a half years. He emphasized that the matter has transformed from a legal to a political issue, and the President has the power to free Kanu without a court order.
