John James, a US congressman, has moved a motion seeking the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Mr James, a member of the US House of Representatives, appealed for Mr Kanu’s release on Thursday during a plenary session on the floor of the lower chamber of the US Congress.
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PREMIUM TIMES obtained a video clip which showed the lawmaker appealing.
Mr James was referencing H.Res. 1321, a resolution he introduced on 22 May, which calls on the Nigerian government to ensure that all legal proceedings involving Mr Kanu comply with the country’s constitutional obligations and international human rights commitments.
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The resolution is still before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
At the time the resolution was made, the IPOB leader had not been convicted of terrorism.
‘Religious persecution’ and Kanu’s conviction
Speaking at the plenary session, Mr James argued that Mr Kanu’s trial and conviction were part of a pattern of alleged religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria, describing Nigeria as the “deadliest place on earth to be a Christian”.
“Since 2019, tens of thousands of Christians in Nigeria have been slaughtered as part of a sustained pattern of religiously motivated violence by Islamist jihadists ignored or enabled by the Nigerian government,” he said, adding that extremist groups like Boko Haram had operated freely without meaningful resistance from the Nigerian government.
The lawmaker then contended that Mr Kanu, whom he described as a courageous figure, was convicted in what he termed a “farce show trial” for speaking out against the killings.
“I implore my colleagues to support my bill, H.Res. 1321, calling on the Nigerian government to conduct another trial in accordance with its own constitution based on evidence with access to legal counsel, medical care, and international law about humane conditions of detention, or better yet, release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally,” he said.
Cutting aid to Nigeria
Mr James suggested that the US government should cut its aid to Nigeria if the country’s authorities fail to release Mr Kanu.
“America gives billions to Nigeria. We will not continue to fund a Christian genocide,” he said.
The lawmaker stressed that the US had a moral obligation to ensure that Christians in Nigeria are allowed to worship freely.
IPOB reacts
IPOB has praised Mr James for moving the motion for Mr Kanu’s release.
In a statement on Friday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, the group described the intervention by the lawmaker representing Michigan as a significant development in its campaign for Mr Kanu’s release.
“We commend Congressman John James for his courage and the United States Congress for providing the platform,” Mr Powerful said.
The spokesman said IPOB viewed the call as evidence of growing international attention to Mr Kanu’s case.
He expressed hope that Mr James’s call would encourage the Nigerian government to review the matter.
READ ALSO: Lawyer threatens lawsuit against man who asked govt to kill Nnamdi Kanu
Background
IPOB is a group seeking to carve out a sovereign state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of the South-south of Nigeria.
Its leader, Mr Kanu, was sentenced to life imprisonment in November last year after being found guilty of terrorism charges.
The convict is currently serving his jail term in Sokoto prison, although he has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentencing.
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