The Republic of Kenya has reportedly denied claims that the fugitive leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was re-arrested in the country.
Kenya’s Director-General of Immigration Services, Alexander Muteshi, while addressing a press conference dismissed the claims saying that the country was not aware of the arrest of Kanu.
The New Diplomat had reported that Kanu who has jumped bail since 2017 was apprehended by the Federal Government and extradited to the country on Sunday.
Accprding to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, who made the announcement, the separatist leader was re-arrested through a joint efforts of the intelligence and security services.
Malami stopped short of disclosing where Kanu was rearrested. The circumstances surrounding the arrest of the separatist leader has since been generating endless speculations.
IPOB and the family of Kanu had claimed that their brother was re-arrested in Kenya.
According to the IPOB’S spokesperson, Emma Powerful, Kanu was allegedly “unlawfully” arrested in the East African country and extradited to Nigeria.
However, the Kenyan government has now dismissed the claims, according to a Reuters report which cited the response by a top official of the Kenya’s interior ministry to an inquiry on the matter.
“A spokeswoman for the Kenyan interior ministry said it was not aware of the matter, while the foreign affairs ministry in Nairobi did not respond to a request for comment,” Reuters said in its report.
Meanwhile, Kanu has been remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
He was re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday and ordered to be remanded in the custody of the DSS, while the case was adjourned till July 26 and July 27.
He is being tried on 11 count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, among others.
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