The Kenya government says the leader of Nigeria’s outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was not arrested by security operatives on its soil.
Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had on Tuesday, told journalists during a press conference in Abuja, that Kanu was “intercepted through the collaborative efforts of Nigerian intelligence and Security Services”, but didn’t disclose in which country Kanu was arrested and brought back to Nigeria.
However, on Wednesday Kingsley Kanu, brother of Nnamdi Kanu, said the separatist leader was arrested in Kenya. He said his brother visited Kenya and was detained and handed over to the Nigerian authorities who then flew him to Nigeria.
But Kenya’s Director-General of Immigration Services, Alexander Muteshi, on Thursday, dismissed the claim.
A Kenya newspaper, Nation, quoted Muteshi to have said he cannot tell if Kanu was arrested in Kenya, as he could only confirm an arrest and extradition if the person entered the country legally.
“I can’t know that,” Nation quoted Muteshi to have said. “I am not in the picture of his presence in the country. I am only able to tell if somebody entered the country legally.”
Kanu who had jumped bail in 2017 before he was re-arrested on Sunday and brought back to Nigeria was facing charges bordering on treasonable felony, due to his campaign for the secession of the Republic of Biafra.
