According to Ejimakor, the government's decision to pursue a death sentence against Kanu demonstrates a failure to appreciate the international consequences of imposing the death penalty on a British citizen.
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has warned that the Nigerian government's reported move to seek the death penalty against Kanu could spark a major diplomatic crisis between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
In a statement titled "British Citizens Convicted Abroad Are Not Subject To Death Penalty," Ejimakor argued that the Nigerian government's cross-appeal seeking a death sentence for Kanu raises significant legal, diplomatic, and human rights concerns.
He said, "The Federal Government of Nigeria's recent cross-appeal seeking to elevate Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s sentence from life imprisonment to the death penalty introduces a volatile mix of domestic law, geopolitical friction, and human rights disputes.
"Because Mazi Nnamdi Kanu holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, this development creates a direct diplomatic collision course between Abuja and London."
