Human Rights Activist Margaret Owen Urges UK Government to Act on the Plight of Nnamdi Kanu
Renowned human rights campaigner Margaret Owen has issued a fervent plea for the UK government to intervene in the case of 56-year-old Nnamdi Okwu-Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu, a British citizen, was illegally abducted from Kenya in 2021 by Nigerian authorities in an act of extraordinary rendition. His ongoing detention, described by legal experts as unlawful, has placed a significant strain on his family in the UK, including his wife Uche and their two young sons.
Despite the severity of the case and Kanu’s deteriorating health, the UK government has taken little action to secure his release. Owen, reflecting on the parallels with the high-profile case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained in Iran for six years, is now advocating for stronger pressure on the government. She highlighted the toll on Kanu’s family, noting that his wife and children, all British citizens, remain in limbo as the father’s imprisonment drags on with no resolution in sight.
“Kanu was blindfolded and tortured for eight days, leading to serious health complications, including a heart condition requiring urgent medical intervention,” Owen revealed. He remains in detention in Abuja, Nigeria, where he is denied access to life-saving medication and cardiac surgery.
A Call for Action and a ‘Prisoner of Conscience’ Designation
Kanu, who has long championed the right of self-determination for Biafrans and advocated for peaceful means to achieve freedom for his people, has garnered significant support from international human rights advocates. Owen has now called upon Amnesty International to adopt Kanu as a Prisoner of Conscience, a designation that could bolster efforts to secure his release.
"With the new Labour government headed by human rights lawyers like Keir Starmer, David Lammy, and Emily Thornberry, there is an opportunity to place pressure on the Nigerian authorities and bring Kanu back home to his family," Owen remarked. She emphasized that Kanu’s unlawful detention has been condemned by Nigerian courts, yet the injustice continues unabated.
Echoes of Richard Ratcliffe’s Campaign
Owen drew parallels to the tireless campaign of Richard Ratcliffe, who fought for his wife Nazanin’s freedom from Iranian prison. Ratcliffe’s hunger strike and public protests outside the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) played a crucial role in raising awareness and pushing for her eventual release. Owen noted that Ratcliffe has been a source of advice and inspiration as she considers the next steps in her campaign to free Nnamdi Kanu.
“Kanu does not have the luxury of time,” Owen warned, citing the fragile state of his health. “I hope I won’t have to pitch my tent outside the FCDO like Richard did, but if there is no progress, I am ready to do just that, even as winter approaches.”
A Legacy of Advocacy
Margaret Owen was first made aware of Kanu’s case by the late Jonathan Cooper, a leading human rights barrister who had been campaigning for his release until his sudden death in 2021. Owen has since vowed to continue Cooper’s mission, working tirelessly to bring attention to Kanu’s plight.
In her call to action, Owen urged the British public to learn more about Kanu’s case and write to their MPs in support of his family. “The UK government has a duty to protect its citizens from human rights abuses abroad,” Owen said, lamenting that the same failures that prolonged Nazanin Ratcliffe’s imprisonment are now being repeated in Nnamdi Kanu’s case.
As Nnamdi Kanu’s health deteriorates and his family suffers, the call for justice grows louder. Will the UK government respond before it’s too late?
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