•Incarcerated IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu
American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent, AVID, has warned that Southeast Governors risk a range of US presidential sanctions including travel ban and confiscation of assets on US soil over their alleged complicity in the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The warning is coming on the heels of the alleged reluctance of the governors to jointly write a letter as demanded by President Bola Ahmed Bola, requesting the release of Kanu to them, reports Saturday Vanguard.
AVID, 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 the said letter, accusing them of non-committal towards Kanu’s release.
AVID which is a body of retired and serving military officers of Igbo extraction in the North and South American military, reminded the governors of the grave implication of their lackadaisical attitude towards Kanu’s continued incarceration.
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 recognised 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.”
The veterans cautioned the governors against being passive over matters of importance to the Igbo nation.
“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 veterans also urged President Tinubu to stop looking for excuses and release Kanu in compliance with the pact his son Seyi had with Kanu’s family before the 2023 presidential election.
AVID told President Tinubu to honour his promise to release Kanu which he made during the campaigns.
“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.”
