The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter
Obi, has condemned the Federal Government’s handling of the case involving the
detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu,
insisting that dialogue remains the only sustainable path to peace.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Obi warned
that Kanu’s conviction could further heighten national tension, describing the
situation as deeply troubling, especially at a time when Nigerians are
grappling with intense economic hardship, escalating insecurity, and the
consequences of poor governance.
He argued that the government mishandled the issue
from the very beginning.
“I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never
have been arrested. His arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a
failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake,” Obi
wrote.
Obi urged national leaders to embrace dialogue,
inclusiveness, and reconciliation rather than coercion, which he said should
only be used as a last resort.
He called on President Tinubu, the Council of State,
and elder statesmen to intervene and pursue a political solution that could
de-escalate tensions in the South-East.
“If we truly desire a new Nigeria, our leaders must
choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue
over division,” he added.
Court Verdict
On Thursday, the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced
Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment on terrorism charges.
Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the judgement,
found him guilty on several counts, including inciting violence, operating a
proscribed organisation, and threatening attacks on Nigerian and foreign
institutions.
The court ruled that Kanu’s broadcasts encouraged
followers to attack security personnel, destroy government assets, and target
diplomatic missions. It also reaffirmed that Nigeria is an indivisible entity
and that self-determination cannot be pursued through violent means.
Justice Omotosho ordered that Kanu’s transmitter be
forfeited to the Federal Government and mandated that he be held in a secure
correctional facility without any digital access.
Kanu’s legal team, however, has vowed to appeal the
ruling, describing the judgement as disproportionate and unjust.
Transfer to Sokoto Correctional Facility
Following the court’s directive that Kanu be moved
from Kuje Prison, the Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday transferred
him to the Nigerian Custodial Centre in Sokoto.
A security source confirmed the relocation, stating
that it complied with the court’s order.
His former lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, criticised the transfer, saying it places
Kanu far away from his legal counsel, family, and supporters,
complicating his defence.
Background
Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges
bordering on treasonable felony and terrorism. He fled the country in 2017
after a military raid on his home during Operation Python Dance.
In 2021, he was rearrested in Kenya under controversial circumstances and
returned to Nigeria—a move his lawyers have repeatedly described as an
“extraordinary rendition.”
His case remains one of the most sensitive, divisive,
and politically charged legal battles in Nigeria’s recent history.
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