Separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu remained behind bars on Friday after a Nigerian court turned down a plea for his release.
Kanu, who heads the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, has faced multiple arrests since 2015 when he was first detained on charges of treason and terrorism. He insists he is innocent, while his supporters argue that he is being unfairly targeted to silence the push for Biafra’s independence.
The court ruled that prosecutors had provided sufficient evidence for him to stand trial. Friday’s decision comes a year after Nigeria’s supreme court revived terrorism charges against him.
His legal team says Kanu is in poor health and are pressing for urgent medical care.“We are disappointed. Our client remains ill and he remains detained. And we are not happy about that,” said his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor.
The separatist group is demanding independence for Nigeria’s southeast, a region dominated by the Igbo ethnic group. Authorities accuse IPOB of fueling violence that has claimed many lives in the region, but the group denies the allegations.
Obi Aguocha, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, attended the court session to show support for Kanu.
“In this country, there are two sets of rules. One rule for the Igbos and one rule for every other Nigerian. This is a unique opportunity for Nigeria to be circumspect, look towards a political solution to this matter,” he said.
