By Chioma Iruke
Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, is suing the Kenyan Government over his extradition to Nigeria.
In his petition presented by Luchiri and Company Advocates, Kanu argued that his arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria in June, was unconstitutional.
His brother, Kingsley Kanunta, sued on his behalf, according to court documents.
Those named as respondents are Kenya’s Interior CS, Director of Immigration, Director of Criminal Investigations, OCPD Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and the Attorney General.
The petition revealed that Kanu was in Kenya to seek medical attention for a heart challenge and for “Indigenous People of Biafra-related work”.
It further revealed that the agitator arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in May from Kigali, Rwanda, on an East African tourist visa.
It further said that Kanu went to the airport on June 19 to pick up someone, but never returned to his residence, Purple Haze Apartments on Kitale Lane.
“The subject is believed to have been apprehended at the airport on June 19, 2021, and unlawfully detained for several days after which he was illegally and stealthily extradited to Nigeria without his British passport in utter-non-compliance with laid down processes of laws in Kenya,” the petition added.
While faulting Kanu’s extradition to Nigeria, the petition said, “the subject (Kanu) is a British citizen resident in the United Kingdom.
“He formerly held Nigerian citizenship but renounced it in 2015. Consequently, his Nigerian passport was taken away from him by Nigerian authorities,” it added.
It argued that Kanu’s extradition from Nairobi to Abuja in June violated the Extradition (Contiguous and Foreign Countries) Act Chapter 76 of the laws of Kenya.
Kanu, in the petition, asked the court to declare his extradition “a violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms to equal protection of the law, human dignity, freedom and security, freedom of movement, fair administrative action, access to justice, the right to be represented in court and a fair hearing as guaranteed in the Constitution of Kenya”.
Nigerian officials on June 29 claimed Kanu was brought back to face trial after he jumped bail and went on the run in 2017.
