Peter Obi Condemns Nnamdi Kanu’s Continued Detention as ‘Senseless’

 Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticized the ongoing detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), labeling it “senseless” and a violation of justice. 

 Obi argued, “It defies logic to detain a citizen for over four years without trial, especially when courts have repeatedly granted him bail since December 2023.” Kanu, arrested in Kenya in June 2021 and extradited to Nigeria, faces treason charges but remains held by the Department of State Services (DSS) despite a Supreme Court ruling affirming his bail rights.

Obi, whose party commands 5 million registered members, called for Kanu’s release to de-escalate tensions in the Southeast, where insecurity has claimed 2,500 lives since 2021, contributing to the national toll of 10,217 deaths since 2023. He urged the federal government to prioritize dialogue, citing Kanu’s health deterioration after a 2023 hunger strike. 

Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi countered that Kanu’s detention is essential for national security, pointing to IPOB’s alleged role in the 2021 unrest that killed 200. Human rights organizations, representing 70% of civil society, back Obi’s stance.