Following the prolonged detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID has revealed possible sanctions that the south east governor risk to face for their alleged complicity in facilitating his release.
AVID which is a body of retired and serving military officers of Igbo extraction in the North and South American military has accused the south east governors of being reluctant in writing a joint as demanded by President Bola Ahmed Bola, requesting the release of Kanu to them.
The group in a statement by its President, Chief Dr Sylvester Onyia; and Secretary, Dr Godson Obiagwu, expressed displeasure at the reluctance of the Governors to advance to the President and signing the letter, accusing them of non-committal towards Kanu’s release.
AVID revealed that their action is tantamount to breaching of international human right law, which makes them liable of facing a range of US presidential sanctions including travel ban and confiscation of assets on US soil. The veterans also cautioned the Governors against being passive over important matters to the Igbo nation as they would not watch them (the governors) devastate Igboland by selfishness and a lack of motivation to advance our region’.
The statement read in part: “According to the information we have, the Governors are supposed to meet with the President and unanimously advocate for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release, which has yet to occur.
“We also know that Mr President has asked the Southeast Governors to write a formal letter seeking the release of their son, which they all find difficult to do. We are also aware that all meaningful initiatives, particularly by religious leaders and national and state players, have been frustrated by the same Governors. Even after the Nigerian appeals court pronounced Mazi Nnamdi Kanu not guilty, the Governors remained silent, confirming their complicity.
“Your Excellencies, as the USA Military Veterans of Igbo Descent, we must make you aware that the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu mirrors the sort of grave human rights violations sanctionable by the US government under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which was enacted to punish violators of internationally recognized human rights.
“The Act empowers the President of the United States to impose sanctions against foreign officials complicit in “gross violations of internationally recognized human rights,” against persons for exercising internationally recognized rights to freedom of expression or association, among other things.
“The range of presidential sanctions includes denial of visas, blocking transactions in all property in the United States, and public stigma. Therefore, when the time comes for it, your inaction in seeking the release of Nnamdi Kanu may make you
complicit and thus subject to the full consequences of this Act should you come in contact with the United
States which you do very often.”
“As AVID USA, we cannot stand by and let Southeast Governors devastate Igboland by selfishness and a lack of motivation to advance our region. As a group, we attempted multiple times to persuade these Governors that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was justified, in his stands on security and social economic development of Southeast.
“Keep in mind that you Governors proscribed IPOB, while previous President Buhari labelled this wonderful organization a terrorist movement due to his enmity with the Igbo people. For this reason, we can’t blame the President for the insecurity in the Southeast region.”
The group also urged President Tinubu to honour the campaign promise he made through his son, Seyi to the family of Nnamdi Kanu before the 2023 election. They urged him to stop looking for irrelevant excuses to prolong his detention but should rather comply with the pact his son Seyi had with Kanu’s family and release him.
“We, the American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent, (AVID) concur with Prince Emmanuel Kanu’s position on the implementation of the agreement between the family of Nnamdi Kanu and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through his son Seyi.
“We also concur with the concerned Igbo Ministers’ Commission over the recent news announcement that:“The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a betrayal of Igbo nation” the statement concluded.
