Deborah Ocheni
Abuja
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has accused the British government of deliberately colluding with Nigeria to keep Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in detention.
The AVID's president, Sylvester Onyia, made the accusation during a press conference in Abuja, stating that Britain's silence on Kanu's detention is not neutrality but complicity.
" Britain has abandoned its duty to protect Kanu, choosing instead to prioritize political convenience. Britain's actions, or lack thereof, have enabled Nigeria's gross violations of international law and human rights.
Specifically, AVID points to Britain's failure to condemn Kanu's rendition, demand his immediate release, or launch a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
The group also highlighted Britain's historical role in the persecution of the Igbo people, dating back to the Nigerian Civil War. The group accused Britain of continuing this legacy of suppression, citing the country's alleged complicity in Kanu's detention as evidence.
"Britain's betrayal of the Igbo did not end in 1970 - it simply changed uniform," Dr. Onyia said ³.
He therefore demands that Britain take immediate action to address the situation by publicly condemning Kanu's rendition and detention, demand Kanu's immediate release from detention and launch a parliamentary inquiry into the roles played by British officials in Nairobi and Abuja in Kanu's detention.
AVID warned that if Kanu dies in detention, Britain will be held accountable, citing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) Article 2. The group emphasized that Britain's inaction would be seen as complicity in Kanu's potential death, with severe consequences for its reputation.
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