UK Foreign Affairs Committee publishes damning report over IPOB leader’s case

The United Kingdom Foreign Affairs Committee has published a damning report against its government’s handling of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB’s case.

This followed evidence provided by Kanu’s family through their lawyers, the Bindmans LLP, Blackstone Chambers & Doughty Street Chambers.

The report forwarded to newsmen by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, reads partly: “The Foreign Affairs Committee, has published a damning report, concluding that the UK government is failing to prevent “Abductor states” from “weaponising citizenship of British nationals for geopolitical ends”.

“The report draws on evidence provided by the Kanu family in relation to British national Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader who was abducted and tortured in Kenya by the Nigerian security forces and subject to extraordinary rendition to Nigeria in June 2021, where he has remained in detention ever since.

“The FAC’s report is a damning indictment of the government’s efforts to assist British nationals subject to serious violations abroad and unfortunately reflects the experience of Mr Kanu’s family in trying to engage the FCDO in his case.”

The report said Kanu’s family would appeal against the UK High Court judgment that the FCDO can lawfully evade reaching any conclusion on whether Kanu has been subject to extraordinary rendition.

The report pointed out recommendations to combat the failure of the UK government to assist Kanu over the violation of human rights.

The report was subjected to Kanu’s abduction and repatriation from Kenya to Nigeria in 2022.

Security agents had picked up Kanu in Kenya and subjected him to extraordinary rendition after he left Nigeria in 2017 despite his ongoing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja.