The United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) Worldwide has asked the federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The group said FG and the Nigerian Judiciary should draw inspiration from its international counterparts, where the public trusts the judiciary for fairness and do the right thing.
UNIEC emphasized that Nigeria’s judiciary should break free from its history of bowing to pressure from successive federal governments, compromising its integrity.
In a statement signed by Director General Bishop Justice Alpha Ikpeama and Director, Media and Publicity Prof. Obasi Igwe, UNIEC stressed that globally, judicial systems strive to earn public trust. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s judiciary falls short of this standard.
According to UNIEC, “it is mostly in the protection of the rights of the common man or weak masses side, and not in aligning with the state to oppress them that this confidence of the people in judicial system is earned.”
“For quite a long time the Nigerian judiciary has been criticised for appearing not interested in being trusted by anybody. The violent removal of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, with a spineless judiciary lying dormant, in the face of eight-year long impunities and disregard of court processes, with the judiciary beholden to executive rascality, and especially, the inability to enforce the release of citizens already set free by it, apart all manner of strange electoral and other decisions, are adding to people’s frustration.
“The annoying thing about the conduct of the Nigerian judicial system is that they have at long last, ensured the blockage of all avenues of escape for Nigerians from the impunity committed against them by the government and the powers that be in the country.
“Nnamdi Kanu, has once again voiced dislike for the way he is being treated by Nigeria’s courts system. The only solution is the immediate and unconditional release of all/Nigeria’s mounting number of political prisoners, be they of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Yoruba Nation agitators, Hausa indigenous rights agitators, Niger Delta agitators and Middle Beltan agitators, civil rights campaigners and other peaceful agitators or whoever else.
“Opinion don’t kill, and should be considered as free speech for, if we insist on stifling them there shall reach a time that everybody is treated any how by powerful people with no concern for consequences.
“Release Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners, engage with Nigerians especially the youths, and douse agitations nationwide. The UNIEC believes that this can easily be done if the political will exists.”
