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By Oscar Okhifo
Patrick Agazie, one of the lawyers representing detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has called for the disbarment of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), accusing him of playing a central role in the controversial and illegal rendition of Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021.
Agazie made the call in response to a recent judgment by a Kenyan High Court, which declared the abduction and forced repatriation of Kanu as illegal, unconstitutional, and a gross violation of international law.
The court ruled that Kanu was subjected to abduction, torture, incommunicado detention, and an unlawful transfer to Nigeria without undergoing any extradition hearing.
It awarded him damages of approximately ₦120 million and described the rendition as “a criminal act of state-sponsored international terrorism” perpetrated by the Nigerian and Kenyan Governments.
In light of this judgment, Agazie said Malami’s conduct amounted to a serious breach of both Nigerian and international legal standards and insisted that he should be stripped of his license to practice law.
“Any Nigerian official, no matter how highly placed, who was involved in the abduction and extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has committed an act of terrorism under Nigerian law,” Agazie said.
He argued that Malami’s involvement in the operation undermined the integrity of the legal profession and constituted a gross abuse of office, stating that the former minister should be held accountable for violating the rule of law.
The legal team, led by Aloy Ejimakor and including Agazie, is expected to file a formal petition with the Nigerian Bar Association and other relevant professional bodies to initiate disbarment proceedings against the former Attorney-General.
Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been in custody since his arrest in 2021, despite multiple court rulings questioning the legality of his detention and the manner in which he was returned to Nigeria.