From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has described the continuous detention of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, despite the call by the United Nations (UN) for his release, by the Federal Government as disrespectful.

The UN Opinion had earlier called on the Federal Government to release Kanu unconditionally and pay him compensation for unlawful arrest, rendition, torture and gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

COSEYL, in a statement by its National President, Goodluck Ibem, noted that the Opinion of the United Nations is a serious request that Nigeria must not toy with.

He said: “It is, therefore, a big letdown on the United Nations and the international community for the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to disrespect the evidence-based Opinion of United Nations mandating the Nigerian government to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally from detention.

“The verdict of United Nations and reluctant behaviour of the Federal Government to obey the UN verdicts confirms to the entire world that there was an ulterior motive to the illegal arrest and rendition of Kanu to Nigeria.

“No nation that knows her onions would do what President Buhari did in Kenya that led to the rendition of Kanu to Nigeria. The act was, indeed, shameful in all sense of the word.

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“The body language of the Federal Government is enough reason for the United Nations to beam its searchlight on Nigeria to unravel other human rights abuses going on in the country.

“The present administration of President Buhari has shown intolerance in all ramifications to groups with opposing views. Christians in the northern part of the country are persecuted while in some places, they are not allowed to exercise their faith as they are killed on daily basis by Boko Haram, ISWAP and other Muslim fanatics.

“Sadly, those committing such heinous crimes are rarely arrested and when arrested, they are released shorty and often empowered as if they were heroes.

“There is serious attack in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja by Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani jihadists where Kanu is being kept and we have intelligence that there is ongoing plot to assassinate him in the Department of State Services (DSS) custody.”

The youths, however, called on the UN to mount more pressure on the Federal Government to release Kanu from DSS custody, maintaining that it has no excuse to still keep him in detention.

“The federal correctional facility, Kuje, Abuja was attacked by Fulani terrorists for over three hours and the Federal Government could not stop or respond to the terrorists. Abuja is under siege and no longer safe hence, the need to expedite action for the immediate release of Kanu from DSS custody,” COSEYL said.