US-based Igbo veterans write open letter to Tinubu, demand Nnamdi Kanu’s release

The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) have issued an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to immediately release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The letter, signed by AVID President Dr. Sylvester Onyia and Secretary Dr. Godson Obiagwu, called on the Nigerian government to comply with multiple court rulings and international directives that have declared Kanu’s detention illegal and unjust.

AVID’s appeal is based on several legal decisions and human rights declarations condemning Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021.

The group referenced key judicial pronouncements, including an October 26, 2022, ruling by the Federal High Court of Nigeria, which declared Kanu’s extradition unlawful and his continued detention a violation of his fundamental human rights.

“The court held that his extradition from Kenya was illegal and that his detention in Abuja violates his rights. The ruling explicitly condemned the Nigerian government’s actions,” AVID stated in the letter.

The veterans’ group criticized the Nigerian government for ignoring the ruling and continuing to hold Kanu in custody.

They further referenced a December 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which, while remanding Kanu’s case to the Federal High Court for trial, acknowledged the circumstances surrounding his initial detention.

AVID recalled that the Supreme Court condemned the military invasion of Kanu’s home in 2017, which forced him to flee the country.

According to AVID, the Supreme Court recognized that Kanu’s absence from court was not voluntary but a result of the military’s actions, making his continued detention unjustifiable.

The group also cited the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which in July 2022 directed the Nigerian government to immediately release Kanu and compensate him for his illegal detention.

“As a member of the United Nations and a signatory to international human rights treaties, Nigeria is legally bound to comply with this directive,” the group stated.

AVID stressed that Kanu’s detention has escalated into a political crisis that requires urgent intervention from President Tinubu.

“This matter has transformed from a judicial issue to a political one, which falls within the executive prerogative of the President. As the saying goes, the buck stops at the President’s table,” the letter stated.

AVID warned that ignoring court rulings and international directives sets a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy and justice system.

The group also suggested that resolving Kanu’s case peacefully could ease tensions in the Southeast, where his continued detention has fueled unrest.

The letter concluded with a direct appeal to President Tinubu’s sense of justice and leadership, urging him to take decisive action in the interest of national stability.

“While thanking you for your anticipated sound discretion in halting this grave injustice, please permit us to also assure you of our abiding regard for your high office,” AVID stated.