No justification to keep Nnamdi Kanu in prison — Peter Obi
Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has renewed his call for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking during an interactive session with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., the former Anambra State governor argued that Kanu’s continued imprisonment is unwarranted and fails to address the root causes of regional agitations.
Obi maintained that his stance on the IPOB leader’s incarceration has never wavered, insisting that expressing controversial opinions or criticizing public figures should not be treated as a criminal offense.
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“I have said it repeatedly that there’s no reason for keeping Nnamdi Kanu. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason—no reason whatsoever,” Obi stated. “You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on the radio or calling people’s names. It doesn’t make sense.”
Drawing a parallel to his own experiences in the political spotlight, Obi noted that public figures routinely face harsh verbal attacks from citizens, which should never be criminalized.
“I’m a politician. People call me all sorts of names. And I don’t think calling me names has anything to do with it. It’s not an offense,” he added.
Kanu is currently appealing a life sentence handed down by a Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025. The court convicted him on multiple terrorism-related charges, including incitement and broadcasting illegal transmissions, membership of a proscribed organization and activities linked to separatist operations in the South-East.
While Kanu’s legal team continues to challenge the verdict—arguing that the judicial proceedings were fundamentally unfair—the case remains a highly polarized political flashpoint in Nigeria.
Detailing how he would handle separatist movements and aggrieved groups if elected to power, Obi emphasized that dialogue and consultation are the only effective paths to national peace, rather than relying solely on state force.
“Even all agitators, if I’m in government today, I will discuss with them. I will engage with them. I will consult with them,” Obi promised. “Because I believe that they have a reason for whatever they want to do. It’s only by engaging them that we’ll learn and see how we can solve it.”
