The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and other Biafra agitators have been subjected to what activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam has called selective injustice.
Idam was responding to the presidency’s declaration that Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s attorney, ought to be punished for subjudice due to his participation in the free Nnamdi Kanu demonstration.
He pointed out that Ejimakor retained the constitutional right to voice his thoughts on any national topic, including ones that directly affected him, such as Kanu’s trial.
“The protest was a massive success,” Idam wrote in a statement. Across ethnic boundaries, there has been a unified outcry against the selective injustice meted out to Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and the whole Biafra agitators.
“Well-meaning Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds have publicly identified with Mr. Kanu and his struggle for the first time in the history of the Biafra agitation.”
“I must clarify that Mr. Ejimakor was an Igbo guy, a Nigerian, and a lawyer before to joining Mr. Kanu’s attorney, in response to the Presidency’s declaration that Kanu’s counsel should be sanctioned for subjudice. As a result, he has the constitutional right to voice his opinions on any national problem, including ones that directly impact him, like Mr. Nnamdi Kanu’s trial and other injustices, as long as he refrains from making judgments or drawing conclusions for the court.
“It is quite disheartening that a government that shows little or no respect for the rule of law can quickly determine which individual should be subject to subjudice. The government must not use its authority as a weapon to suppress free expression.
“There is no doubt that the demonstration was successful and will continue to benefit the state. However, the administration seems more interested in identifying who to punish than in taking the necessary action to solve the fundamental concerns brought forth.
“Given that Mr. Kanu’s extended incarceration cannot possibly outweigh the public interest served by releasing him—just as several convicts, including those on death row, have recently been released—the question that begs for an answer is: Who is actually benefiting from his continued detention?
“Rather than further inflaming the polity, the state must act wisely and release him immediately.”
