The Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, have claimed that their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is being tortured in detention.
On Wednesday, March 23, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful issued a statement alleging that the Nigerian government, through the Department of State Services, DSS, subjected Kanu to torture and humiliation and refused to allow him to change clothes.
Powerful urged the United Nations, UN, and Human Rights Watch to pressure Nigeria’s government to release Kanu unconditionally.
“The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wishes to bring to the attention of the entire world that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is currently subjected to severe torture and humiliation at the hands of the Nigerian Government at the Abuja headquarters,”
The statement reads: “The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wish to put the whole world on notice that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is currently under severe torture and humiliation in the hands of Nigeria Government at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of Security Services, DSS, where he is under custody.
“We condemn this torture and the flagrant abuse of his human rights by DSS. Since his abduction from Kenya on June 19, 2021, till date they have been touring him. They have denied him access to his religious materials.
“They have never allowed him to change his clothes while on the other hand, the same hypocritical Government is sewing new clothes for bandits and mass murderers who have purportedly repented.
“Our leader has been subjected to unimaginable torture since his rendition to Nigeria. The world will be shocked at further revelations of what he has passed through ever since then.
“Therefore, the global world, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and all diplomatic missions in Abuja Nigeria should prevail on Nigeria to release Kanu, unconditionally so he will not die in detention.”
