Rights Group Threatens to Occupy UK Embassy If Kanu is Not Extradited

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Following the recent revelation by the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, in a recent interview that the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is presently in London, a rights group, Advocate of Social Justice for All (ASJA), has threatened to occupy the British High Commission in Nigeria if the IPOB leader is not extradited to Nigeria.

The Executive Director of the group, Asongo Venatius,  in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja expressed  disappointment  that Kanu is hiding in the UK after illegally travelling through Cameroon and Malaysia.
He noted that the proper thing is for UK to have allowed Kanu answer the treason charges against him in Nigeria before making any intervention.

Venatius stated: “We find it supremely irresponsible for the British High  Commission in Nigeria  to have issued its statement seeking clarification on Kanu when it knows it was in cahoots with the terrorist leader.

“The irresponsible behaviour became diabolic when the UK issued him an emergency travel document in collaboration with crisis merchants. This is the worst form of double standard ever.
“We are at a loss to understand what the UK Mission in Nigeria or even the home country stands to gain by mischievously sinking so low to aid a terrorist and facilitate his sneaking out of the country,” he added.
Venatius said  this implies that the UK is harbouring a fugitive from justice and this is irrespective of him holding dual nationalism – Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

He noted: “The ASJA therefore demands that the UK High Commission in Nigeria immediately extradite Kanu to stand trial for his crime before his October 17, 2017, court appearance.
“Failure to do this will see ASJA leading Nigerians to occupy the UK High Commission’s premises in a manner it has never experienced before in any other part of the world,” the statement said.