Showdown Over Kanu, IPOB’s Leader Looms

At least 16 human rights groups under the aegis of Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) have thrown their weight behind the open protest slated for Friday this week by the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) against the continued detention of their leader, Comrade Nnamdi Kanu.

The CHRSJ said in a statement Monday that the continued detention of Kanu was illegal and unconstitutional which must be stopped at all costs.

The IPOB, through its spokesperson on Monday, enjoined the Igbo people and all those who believed in the Biafra ideology in the country to sit-at-home and shutdown their businesses on Friday, 23 September, in protest over illegal continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The activists were drawn from The Christian Awareness Mission Group(CAMG), Passengers Fundamental Rights Group(PATRGIA),The Islamic Political Awareness Group(TIPAG),Centre for Social Justice and Equity of Nigeria(CESJEN), Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State(CSCEOS),Veteran Groups for Operation Clean Crusade(VGOCC), Apata-Aiyeraye Social Political Volunteer Group(ASPVG), De-Mainstream Independent Group(DMIG) and Coalition Against Illegal Arrest & Unlawful Detention (CAIA&UD).

Others were; Centre for Constitutional Rights and Counter Corruption Crusader, Save Lagos Group(SLG), The Conscience Mainstream(TCM), African Masses Voices for Survival (AMVS), The Christians Youths for the Peoples’ Rights and Development(CYPRD), Islamic Movement for Muslims’ Rights (IMMR), Divine
Nigerians Liberators for Peoples’ Fundamental Rights(DNLPFR) and The
Christians Volunteers Groups for Good Governance in Nigeria(TCVGGGN).

Speaking on behalf of the group, its Coordinating leader, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, in a statement which was made available to newsmen on Monday, declared their total support for the proposed
peaceful protest to be embarked upon by the members of the IPOB in pressing home their demand for the unconditional release of Radio Biafra Director (Kanu) from the custody of the Federal Government.

It strongly condemned the illegal continued detention of Kanu, which it stated that was against the principles of democracy that gives the citizens freedom to assemble and express their opinion without
any hindrance, showing concern about what could happen following the continued detention of the Biafra leader.

It then called on all lovers of democracy in Nigeria and Diaspora to guard against using brute force of despotic days of military era on the innocent citizens of the country, describing the proposed protest as a welcome development  in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Kanu’s brother, Prince, says the victim is gravely ill and needs urgent medical attention overseas.