Nigeria Might Lose Commonwealth Membership Over Horrifying Treatment Of British Citizen, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – UK Author, Forsyth | #NwokeukwuMascot

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Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth, a British author, journalist, and political analyst, has opined that Nigeria could lose its membership of the Commonwealth of Nations due to the continuous detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

The British writer made this known in an article published on Express.co.uk where he condemned the United Kingdom government for their non-intervention in Kanu’s matter with the Nigerian government.

He contended that if the UK government could be so indifferent to the ordeals of its citizens being humiliated and tortured abroad, anyone with a British passport may face the same fate as Kanu.

He wrote, “A few days ago, I had never heard of Nnamdi Kanu and the chances are neither had you. So briefly. He is 55 and was born and raised in Nigeria; specifically eastern Nigeria which was then involved in a civil war with the Federal Government in Lagos.

“The issue then was the desire of his Igbo people, the majority in eastern Nigeria, to separate as a new republic of Biafra. It was defeated and re-absorbed but in adulthood, this has become his life’s cause – the re-creation of the vanished Biafra.

“So far, so remote from all of us. But he is now and has been for many years a British citizen, his family home is in south London, and that, as for all of us, accords certain rights and protections.

“One of these is the Consular service which is supposed to do all it can to help us if we ever get into any form of trouble abroad. Several times in my life, I have felt that stiff blue passport in my breast pocket a very comforting bulge.

“Whether his ambition for a separate state for his ethnic homeland is a pipe dream or not, his writing, speaking and militating for his cause is or should be, no more illegal than what the SNP is doing up in Scotland and Nigeria is a leading member of the Commonwealth, a privilege that forbids membership to dictatorships on pain of expulsion.

“But two years ago Nnamdi was snatched in Nairobi by the pretty horrifying Nigerian secret police, hustled to the airport with the seeming connivance of the Kenyans, and flown to Nigeria. Since then he has been in an underground cell in the capital Abuja.

“As such he is a few hundred yards from our High Commission which contains the Consular department. Reports from his family say he is in failing health, denied all medical help and regularly beaten up.

“Given the savage record of Nigeria’s secret police, no surprises there then. According to my information, he has been twice visited by British officials who have made “representations”.

 “Apparently just representations. But I am also advised that British concerns are to the Nigerians as worrying as a bothersome housefly. His lodged appeal to the Nigerian Supreme Court hovers somewhere in the stratosphere.”

Meanwhile, Kanu has been held in solitary confinement at the DSS headquarters in Abuja since June 2021, following his "abduction" in Kenya and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.

Despite repeated court decisions and the UN Opinion that Kanu should be unconditionally released and transferred to either Kenya, where he was imprisoned, or London, where he resides, the government has taken no action.

Kanu travelled to Kenya with a British passport prior to his "abduction" and rendition to Nigeria.

The Abuja Court of Appeal determined that his rendition breached all established international protocols.

Read Forsyths opinion Here