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Following the death of a South-Africa-based Nigerian, Gabriel Nwankwo, the Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Andrew Idi, has led his team to pay a courtesy visit to the wife of the deceased.
Nwankwo who was reportedly killed on October 13, 2022, at East and West Axis Point, South Beach, Durban, fathered four children and was the husband to a South-African wife, Stephany Nwankwo.
Nwankwo died just three days after the wife celebrated his birthday via a Facebook post.

On Friday, October 14, 2022, she took to the same social media platform to express her ‘heartfelt’ condolences, saying, “At this moment, I can’t get myself thoughts are going through my mind it’s the worst day of my life may your soul rest in peace my other half God knows why I will always love you (sic).
In another post, the wife wrote, “Playing the blame game what happened I am trying my best if you don’t see it it’s your problem (sic).

The death of Stephany’s husband has led her into consistent grief and aberration of the situation that she couldn’t stop making a series of posts on her Facebook wall to mourn her lover.
Barely 24 hours ago, she wrote, “In my heart, you made heaven, rest on, Saint,” adding another, “Chaii”.
Meanwhile, the Consulate General of Nigeria had earlier noted with great concern reports of violent killings of Nigerian nationals in KwaZulu-Natal province, Durban.

In a public notice dated October 17, 2022, the Nigerian envoy expressed sadness over the “condemnable, unnecessary and utterly callous” murders which happened in the last three weeks.
The consulate general said the mission is confident that the South African Police Service will conduct full and thorough investigations into the murders.

“It is pertinent to enjoin all Nigerians residing in KwaZulu-Natal Province to remain calm, security conscious, and law-abiding.
“To this end, it is advised that Nigerians should endeavor to avoid flash points and immediately report any threat to life and property to the police,” he maintained.

Bruce Fein, international Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has recommended that US President Joe Biden impose sanctions against Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and his Attorney General and Minister of Justice,  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.” 

Remarkably, he recommended the sanctions over their repeated non-compliance with several court orders on Nnamdi Kanu, especially on releasing him from the dungeon.

Writing through the US Senate and House of Representatives Committee Chairs and Ranking Members, Fein lamented that “what Nigeria has done to Mr. Kanu is indistinguishable from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salmansending thugs abroad to poison, murder, torture, silence, and intimidate dissidents to their dictatorial regimes,” adding that  “they are a threat to international peace and security and subvert the rule-based international order championed by the United States. He noted that “to permit President Buhari’s and Attorney General Malami’s thuggery to escape with impunity would be unacceptable.”

“The sanctions should include ineligibility for a visa to enter the United States and to block of all transactions in properties of Mr. Buhari and Mr. Malami in the United States,” he further recommended.

In a tweet made available to The State Online, Friday, by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Bar. Aloy Ejimakor, Bruce Fein’s recommendation reads:  

“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.”

He began:

“Dear Committee Chairs and Ranking Members:

I represent Biafran leader Nnamdi Kanu. 

Mr. Kanu has been illegally detained in solitary confinement in cramped quarters for sixteen (16) months without adequate access to needed medical care or to counsel by Nigeria’s State Security Services controlled by President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney General Abubakar Malami.

Mr. Kanu’s detention followed his kidnapping, torture, and extraordinary rendition from Kenya in June 2021 to retaliate for advocating a Biafran independence referendum modelled on the United States-brokered 2011 referendum for South Sudan.  Mr. Kanu opposes the use of force with the sole exception of self-defence.

On July 20, 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an Opinion finding Nnamdi Kanu’s detention violated sixteen (16) international human rights guarantees.  The Opinion ordered his “immediate and unconditional release,” Opinion, paragraph 107. (See Attachment A).  President Buhari and Attorney General Malami have ignored the directive for nearly three (3) months with no indication that compliance will ever be forthcoming. 

In January 2022, following the extraordinary rendition of Mr. Kanu, a Nigerian High Court judgment impliedly exonerated him from the Nigerian government’s Orwellian claim that he had jumped bail in evading its notorious attempted assassination.

On October 13, 2022, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, Holden at Abuja, decreed that Nigeria’s detention of Mr. Kanu was illegal because of his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in violation of international and state laws. (See Attachment B). The Court ordered the dismissal of all charges against him. Again, President Buhari and Attorney General Malami have flouted the Court’s orders and kept Nnamdi Kanu illegally detained.

The Opinions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Court of Appeals of Nigeria speak for themselves.  They are crystal clear.

Accordingly, I would respectfully urge you individually and collectively to recommend to President Joe Biden that he impose sanctions against President Buhari and Attorney General Malami for gross violations of Mr. Kanu’s internationally recognized human rights under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, 22 U.S.C. 2656 note,  The sanctions should include ineligibility for a visa to enter the United States and blocking of all transactions in properties of Mr. Buhari and Mr. Malami in the United States.

What Nigeria has done to Mr. Kanu is indistinguishable from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salmansending thugs abroad to poison, murder, torture, silence, and intimidate dissidents to their dictatorial regimes.  They are a threat to international peace and security and subvert the rule-based international order championed by the United States.

To permit President Buhari’s and Attorney General Malami’s thuggery to escape with impunity would be unacceptable.

Sincerely,

Bruce Fein

Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu.