Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the pro-Biafra group, IPOB, has spoken for the first time from detention since he was arrested
in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria about three weeks ago to face treason trial.He is detained in the facility of
Nigeria’s secret police, the SSS, in Abuja.
Mr Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, was allowed to meet with the IPOB leader on Wednesday, inside the detention
facility, where he reportedly spoke with him for about three hours.
Mr Ejimakor on Thursday morning shared with PREMIUM TIMES what Mr Kanu told him.
“The people that abducted him said that they were told by their sponsors that Kanu was a Nigerian terrorist linked to the
Islamic terrorists in Kenya, presumably Al-Shabab.
“But after several days when they discovered his true identity, they tended to treat him less badly. Despite that, they
told him they felt committed to hand him over to those that hired them,” Mr Ejimakor said.
Mr Kanu said he was held incommunicado and chained to a bare floor for eight days in a nondescript private facility in
Kenya.He said no warrant of arrest was shown to him or even mentioned to him, according to Mr Ejimakor.
“Kanu was in point of fact tortured and subjected to untold cruel and inhuman treatment in Kenya. He said his abductors
disclosed to him that they abducted him at the behest of Nigerian government,” the lawyer said.
“He was blindfolded and driven to the tarmac very close to the plane without passing through the airport immigration. The
plane departed Nairobi at about 12 p.m. and arrived Abuja in the evening.
“Kanu was flown to Abuja in the private jet on Sunday 27th June, 2021 from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi and
that he was the lone passenger,” he added.
Mr Ejimakor said Mr Kanu was interviewed for the first time by three SSS officers, in his presence.
“The interview was revealing as it contained certain new allegations that were never heard of before. But all the questions
relate directly or indirectly to his status as the leader of IPOB.