Kenya Files Affidavit Showing No Record Of Departure Of Nnamdi Kanu From Kenya—Counsel

There was no immigration record of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s departure from Kenya after his last arrival on 12th May, 2021.

This was contained in the latest affidavit filed by the Kenyan government in defence of the suit filed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya.

Kanu was allegedly arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, by Nigerian security operatives.

He was later brought to Nigeria where he is facing charges bordering on treason, running a proscribed organisation and jumping bail.

Kanu is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a proscribed group in Nigeria.

His legal team had gone to court arguing that the manner Kanu was brought into Nigeria violated his fundamental human rights as contained in the African Charter.

This was contained in a release jointly signed by Kanu’s special counsel, Bar Aloy Ejimakor, and Kanunta Kanu, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s brother.

According the release, “In the affidavit ‘drawn up and filed’ by the attorney-general of Kenya and deposed to in Nairobi, Kenya, on 10th February 2022, the Government of Kenya attached Kanu’s arrival and departure record from Kenya from 17th July 2019 to 12th May 2022 when he last entered Kenya.

“Paragraph 12 of the affidavit stated ‘That it is evident from the schedule below that since 17/7/2019, the said Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Kenny Okwu-Kanu has visited and departed Kenya on several occasions’.

“Paragraph 13 of the affidavit states ‘That from the above travel history, it is evident that his last arrival date was 12/5/2021, and there is no evidence exhibited to prove that he thereafter left the country’.

“Paragraph 14 of the affidavit stated ‘That I am not privy to his (Kanu’s) arrest, detention or extradition’.”

In view of this, the release stated that, “It is pertinent to note that this affidavit, having been ‘drawn up and filed’ by the attorney-general of Kenya is the clearest official confirmation yet from the government of Kenya that what happened to Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya amounts to crime, both in Nigeria, Kenya and under international law.

“With this latest development, Kanu’s ordeal in Kenya has turned a new corner where domestic and international criminal indictments will lie against the persons that directly or indirectly participated in this high crime. It has gone beyond extraordinary rendition.”