Kanu was in Kenya when he was arrested and returned to Nigeria to resume his trial.

Special counsel to Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, in a tweet on Sunday, called for the release of the detained IPOB leader.

He tweeted, “It came to pass that one year ago, (June 19,2021) an extraordinary rendition was committed. It was a day that will live in infamy because it was an extraordinary abomination.

“It was a legal wrong. It was a political wrong. And it must be undone. Stop the persecution and free Nnamdi Kanu”.

However, his family has expressed sadness that the IPOB leader is spending 2022 Father’s Day in the DSS cell in Abuja.

His junior brother, Emma Kanu, said, “I am feeling sad today. This is a year today since he was kidnapped and brought back to Nigeria.

“The question is, ‘Has anything changed?’ The answer is, ‘No’. This is because the impression before now is that Nnamdi Kanu is part of the problem in Nigeria, whereas he is part of the solution and not part of the problem.

“It is better that the Federal Government understands that Nnamdi Kanu is a force to work with and not a force to jettison. The earlier they understand this, the better for you and I”.

He wished his brother, Nnamdi Kanu a Happy Fathers’ Day “there in DSS detention”, adding, “but then, the federal government should have a reasonable thought to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. This is because the man has done nothing wrong before God and mankind.

“What Nnamdi Kanu stands for is about transparency, equity, and wellbeing of everybody. He is not against anybody in Nigeria, be you Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, wherever you come from, North or south.

“He is focused on the condition and constitution of this country that is affecting you and me and until we see change, I assure you, nobody is going to back off from this particular job.”