Did Kenya Govt Demand That Nigeria Should Return Nnamdi Kanu Immediately? Fact Emerges

• The Kenyan government has debunked social media claims that it filed a lawsuit against Nigeria, demanding the return of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu
• Both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice stated no case has been filed by Kenya, and the matter is beyond their jurisdiction
• Despite past allegations of abduction, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed he is not aware of any lawsuit initiated by Kenya over the issue

The Kenyan government has firmly denied widespread claims circulating on social media that it has taken legal action against Nigeria, demanding the return of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Recall that Kanu, a British-Nigerian national, was re-arrested in 2021 in Kenya and returned to Nigeria where he faces terrorism-related charges.

He denies all charges, and his legal team has accused Kenyan officials of complicity in his detention, an allegation Kenya has consistently denied.

The rumours, which began to spread in May via posts on Facebook, alleged that Kenya was threatening to drag Nigeria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Kanu’s alleged abduction.

These posts falsely claimed that the Kenyan government viewed the incident as “an act of aggression” tantamount to a “declaration of war.”

Foreign affairs official dismisses viral claims

Korir Sing’oei, Principal Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said that no such lawsuit or complaint had been filed, Reuters reported.

“No such statement has been issued by Kenya. The matter is outside the remit of the ICC in any event," Sing’oei said.

He clarified that the claims were baseless and did not reflect any official Kenyan position.

ICC, ICJ confirm no case filed

A spokesperson for the International Criminal Court also confirmed that the court only handles cases against individuals, not states, and that no Nigerian is currently listed among its defendants, Leadership reported.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which settles disputes between nations, also confirmed there is no case on its docket filed by Kenya against Nigeria over the matter.

Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, who has repeatedly criticised the circumstances surrounding his client’s arrest, stating that he was not aware of any legal challenge by the Kenyan government.

Legit.ng notes that the widely shared reports about Kenya demanding Kanu’s return or threatening Nigeria with ICC action are false. Both the Kenyan government and international legal institutions have confirmed that no such action exists.

Kanu explains how DSS forced him

Previously, Legit.ng reported that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), told the court on Wednesday, May 28, that he was threatened by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to make confessional statements after his 2015 arrest.

The testimony came during a trial-within-a-trial held at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja to determine the voluntariness of his statements.

Source: Legit.ng