Ejimakor noted that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention “is a quasi-judicial body that has a subsisting legal mandate of the United Nations to consider and adjudicate human rights petitions against member nations of the UN.”

“Its rulings or decisions (diplomatically called opinions), such as was recently issued in favour of Kanu, are legally binding on Nigeria on myriad grounds, including the fact that the decision is based on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which Nigeria ratified several decades ago,” he warned.

According to him, ratification is a means by which a nation makes itself subject to international laws and treaties. And by the provisions of Section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution and a plethora of decisions by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, ratification makes Nigeria subject to whatever it ratified.

“It needs to be made clear that the UN Working Group is an integral arm of the United Nations Human Rights Council which has the broader UN mandate to determine human rights issues emanating from member nations of the UN.

“It goes without saying therefore that, as a member of the United Nations, Nigeria is subject to decisions issuing from these UN bodies,” he stated.

The UN body recently considered Kanu’s matter and held that “the removal of Kanu from Kenya amounted to extraordinary rendition.”

In clarification, the body further held that “Kanu’s arrest and transfer to Nigeria lacked a legal basis and due process of law, in violation of article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 9 of the Covenant.”

In its conclusions, the UN body held that “The appropriate remedy would be for the Government of Nigeria to release Mr. Kanu immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation in accordance with international law”.

Barr Ejimakor advised, “Without more, Nigeria is duty-bound to implement this decision in its letters and spirit. And it is expected to do so promptly and to, within six months, file a formal report of its implementation with the United Nations.

“Unarguably, failing to implement this decision would mean that Nigeria is thumping its nose at the United Nations and potentially triggering a nasty diplomatic conflict that could make it a pariah state.”

Kanu’s lead lawyers, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor made the allegation in a statement jointly signed yesterday, Nov. 18.

The IPOB leader’s counsel said Kanu instructed them to make the statement public.

The statement titled, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention condition at the DSS amounts to torture” says: “That despite a court order to the contrary, the condition of his detention at the DSS headquarters in Abuja continues to be harsh, degrading and inhumane. That he is solitarily confined to a very tiny cell twenty-three (23) hours of the day without access to sunlight and any social interactions whatsoever. He believes that this is aimed at inflicting extreme emotional and mental distress on him and breaking him psychologically. That any detainee who encounters and greets him during the single hour he is allowed outside his cell is promptly put in solitary confinement or transferred to maximum security as a punishment for exchanging mere greetings with him. Because of this, detainees have resorted to avoiding him and exchanging salutations with him, not to talk of any other form of social interactions. That since the Nigerian government extraordinarily renditioned him, he has not been allowed a change of clothing; and his Jewish prayer shawls and other religious materials brought to him by his counsel were rejected and returned. That the DSS has refused to replace his corrective glasses (lenses) which were smashed to smithereens by agents of the Nigerian government in the process of the violence they unleashed on him while abducting him in Kenya. This has led to a rapid deterioration of his sight. That he is restricted to meeting with his counsel in an atmosphere devoid of private discussions with his counsel; and he is oftentimes denied perusal of legal documentation his Counsel brings to him to review. That he is not allowed to sleep with a pillow and this has led to him developing acid reflux which comes with acute burning sensations in his chest, chest pains and extreme difficulty in swallowing. That on the 17th July 2021, one of his lawyers (the undersigned Barrister Aloy Ejimakor) was detained and interrogated for hours by the DSS when he came to the DSS on visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Mazi Kanu, who witnessed the detention before being led away, was very distressed and alarmed by this incident and he considers it a brazen act of intimidation of his counsel. That he has, to date, been denied access to the British Consul despite his repeated requests to see him; and on the day of his last court appearance (10th November 2021), the British Consul who was in court to observe the proceedings was intimidated by DSS officers, who restricted him from coming close to Mazi Kanu. That, to date, the DSS has denied his repeated requests for an independent medical examination to determine the extent of damage done to his body by a suspected substance he may have been injected with during this abduction and extraordinary rendition. He has reason to believe that the said injected substance is depleting the potassium content of his body, thus causing him constipation, a feeling of skipped heartbeats, palpitations, fatigue, muscle weakness/spasms and numbness. That is the circumstance of the forgoing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu continues to have a persistent and heightened feeling of portent threat to his overall well-being and safety within the DSS facility where he is currently detained.”

Also barred from the courtroom include journalists, Igbo traditional leaders, as well as observers and activists.

But other lawyers of Kanu including Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor were allowed inside the courtroom.

Justice Binta Nyako had adjourned Kanu’s trial to today.

Kanu is facing terrorism-related charges and has since been detained in the custody of the Department of State Services since his re-arrest from a foreign country in June 2021.

He had pleaded not guilty to seven charges at his last appearance in court on October 21.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of the secessionist group, Emma Powerful, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Awka, Anambra State.

He gave the names of the lawyers as Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor.

The IPOB publicist said, “We wish to put the whole world on notice about the wicked plot by the frustrated government of Nigeria to secretly eliminate our resilient lawyers, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Aloy Ejimakor, over their committed efforts in the defence of our leader. The Nigerian government is not happy with the expertise and professional prowess of these veteran lawyers and other members of the legal team to deflate the fabricated charges against our leader, hence, their plot to eliminate them. Intelligence report at our disposal also indicates that this covert plan extends to the elimination of Mazi Benjamin Madubugwu, Bright Ishinwa, Chidiebere Onwudiwe and David Nwawuisi. Several state coordinators are also on their elimination list, handed down by the Nigerian government to its security agencies. The Nigerian government intends to carry out this targeted elimination through the security personnel deployed in the South-East under the guise of Operation Golden Dawn to do the dirty job. The compromised security agents have decided to eliminate Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers once they step into any part of the South-East. The world should hold Nigeria Government responsible should anything happen to our lawyers and any of those listed above. This is not the first time such an evil plot would be hatched against them as Ejiofor has severally escaped assassination attempts on his life by these same Nigerian security operatives. His attackers had twice set his home on fire. The world must take note and pay attention to the atrocities being committed in Biafra land by the Nigerian government.”

The statement added that IPOB was bringing the plot of the Nigerian government to the attention of the international community.

Ejimakor said this on Twitter in reaction to a message he received which states that Kanu gave the order to youths while in the custody of the Department of State Services.

The message read, “Destroy Nigeria when I’m no longer there, my death can’t stop Biafra. I’m just one person out of millions of Biafrans – Nnamdi Kanu urges youths from DSS custody. I’ve been starved for three weeks, beaten and electrocuted, yet the more they torture me, the more my spirit gets high. I will die anyway, but Biafra will come. The good news of Biafra must be preached anytime, anywhere, without fear or favour. I’m here because of Biafra, I’m suffering here because of you. Don’t fail me, don’t disappoint me because, in the end, Biafra will come.”

Reacting, Ejimakor tweeted, “DISCLAIMER: Several persons have sent me the message below, asking if it’s true. Well, my answer is this: It’s NOT TRUE. I met Onyendu several times & he NEVER uttered such words. Pls be guided. Thank you