Bruce Fein, the legal counsel for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has made a significant call for Nigeria's expulsion from the United Nations (UN) due to what he describes as the country's serial violations of the UN Charter. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the UN Security Council Nicolas de Riviere, and President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Fein highlighted several instances of Nigeria's alleged violations, including the hanging of environmental advocate Ken Saro-Wiwa and what he described as the ongoing genocide of Biafrans.
Fein specifically mentioned Nigeria's handling of Nnamdi Kanu's case, stating that Kanu's peaceful call for a referendum on Biafra's independence, as well as his subsequent prosecution by the Nigerian government, are protected under international human rights laws. He cited Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression.
Fein also referred to a ruling by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which found that Nigeria had violated several international human rights covenants in its treatment of Kanu, including his abduction from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021. Despite the UN's call for Kanu's release and reparations, Fein alleged that Nigeria has ignored its obligations under international law.
Fein accused the Nigerian government of aiming to kill Kanu in solitary confinement, drawing a comparison to the case of Russian opposition leader Alexi Navalny. He criticized the Nigerian courts for denying bail to Kanu and for what he called a Kafkaesque legal approach to his case.
Fein also highlighted a decision by the Nigerian Supreme Court, which acknowledged the criminality of Kanu's abduction but ruled that Nigeria could still prosecute him. Fein argued that this decision makes Nigeria an "outlaw nation" that can kidnap citizens from other countries for prosecution with impunity.
In conclusion, Fein called on the UN General Assembly, Security Council, or Secretary-General to appoint a commission of impartial human rights experts to advise on whether Nigeria should be expelled from the UN under Article 6 of the UN Charter. He emphasized the need to maintain the credibility of the UN in upholding justice and respect for international law.
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