The United States-based Special Counsel to the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Bruce Fein, has petitioned the US Senate and House of Representatives Committee Chairmen, seeking sanctions against President Muhammadu Buhari; and the Attorney General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami.
9news Nigeria gathered that Fein is seeking sanction for the duo for the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu despite an Appeal Court judgement ordering the release of the IPOB leader.
The letter was captioned: “RE: Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act: Recommending President Joe Biden to impose sanctions against Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian Attorney General Abubakar Malami for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights against Biafran leader Nnamdi Kanu, including kidnapping, torture, and prolonged arbitrary detention to retaliate for exercising internationally recognized rights to freedom of expression and association.”
The IPOB leader’s lawyer asked the legislature to prevail on US President Joe Biden to impose severe sanctions on Buhari and Malami for flouting both the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Opinion, and the Nigerian appeal court judgement ordering immediate release of Kanu.
While liken Buhari and Malami to Russian President Vladimir Putin; Chinese President Xi Jinping; and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, the lawyer urged Congress not to allow them get away with their rascality and lawlessness.
He addressed the letter to Robert Menendez, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Jim Risch, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and Richard Durbin, Senate Committee Chairman on the Judiciary.
Others are Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on the Judiciary; Pat Leahy, Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriations, Richard Shelby Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Appropriations; and Honourable Sherrod Brown, House Committee Chairman on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
The letter was also addressed to Pat Toomey Ranking Member, Senate Committee Chairman on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Gregory Meeks, House Committee Chairman on Foreign Relations, among others.
