On Friday, December 15, 2023, the Nigerian Supreme Court is set to make a crucial decision regarding the affirmation of numerous unchallenged judgments and orders from various legal jurisdictions.
These rulings collectively call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Expressing his stance on this matter, Jarvis Johnson, a member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 139, has strongly urged the Nigerian Supreme Court to issue a directive for the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.
Johnson highlights a consensus within legal circles, both within and outside Nigeria, anticipating the Supreme Court’s affirmation of these judgments and orders.
According to him, the undeniable facts include Nnamdi Kanu being extradited by the Government of Nigeria from Kenya on June 27, 2021.
Kanu, both then and now, leads IPOB, a non-violent group advocating for an internationally supervised referendum to address the Biafran issue within the Nigerian polity.
He underscores a recent ruling by the High Court of Enugu State on October 30, 2023, which declared the classification of IPOB as a terrorist group by the Government of Nigeria and the Southeast Governor’s Forum as a violation of Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Johnson asserts that this judgment renders any present or future treatment of IPOB, its leadership, and members as a terrorist group illegal and discriminatory, eliminating any valid legal basis for Nnamdi Kanu’s continued solitary confinement.
Moreover, Johnson points out that various Nigerian courts, including the High Court in Umuhia, Abia State, and the Court of Appeals in Abuja, have previously reached similar conclusions, ordering the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.
He emphasizes that there are no pending legal matters against Kanu.
Adding an international perspective, Johnson refers to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s opinion on July 20, 2022, which deemed Nnamdi Kanu’s solitary confinement a violation of International Human Rights Conventions, urging his immediate and unconditional release.
In conclusion, Johnson passionately calls upon the Nigerian Supreme Court to uphold or affirm the considered judgments of its subordinate courts and various international tribunals, advocating for the swift and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
He believes that such a ruling would contribute to restoring confidence in the Nigerian Judiciary, with the Supreme Court being its apex authority.
