The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) Thursday clarified what it considered a misinterpretation of the petition that its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, sent to the British government over his travails in the hands of Nigerian government.
Head of IPOB media and publicity, Comrade Emma Powerful, cleared the air in a telephone chat with our correspondent, saying that Kanu “is not begging to be released” even though his freedom has been circumscribed since October 14, 2015.
He said that it was necessary for IPOB to make it known to the whole world that Kanu only wrote to the British authorities as a bona fide citizen to formally notify them of his “persecution” in the hands of the Nigerian government.
Powerful explained that since Kanu is a British citizen the authorities of that nation is under obligation to take action to protect its citizen who is in trouble hence it was wrong for Kanu’s petition to be misconstrued as pleading to be freed from detention.
In the petition dated March 24, 2016, written by Kanu through his counsel, Hon Ifeanyi Ejiofor the detained Radio Biafra director said he was “a victim of travesty of justice” and therefore called for the British government to be on the watch” on the progress in charge No: FCT/ABJ/CR/383/15.
“It is repeating the obvious to state that our client is a full British citizen by virtue of which position he is entitled to al rights, privileges and protections guaranteed under the British laws and conventions.”
