Legal practitioner and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has called for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, urging the Federal Government to adopt a political solution to the matter.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021. Over the years, several individuals and groups, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and governors from the South-East, have made repeated calls for his release.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Okonkwo decried Kanu’s prolonged detention, describing it as a failure of justice.
“A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years, keeps him in custody, and yet cannot reach a judgment on the culpability of his crime, is a nation failing in the dispensation of justice,” he said.
He cited Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which states that every citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and argued that Kanu’s continued detention violates that principle.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. When it comes to crime, the Constitution is very clear that the accused should be judged within a reasonable time. It is unreasonable to keep a man in detention for almost seven years. What are you judging?” he asked.
Okonkwo stated that the legal process in Kanu’s case had been abused, noting that prolonged incarceration without judgment frustrates both the detainee and the public.
“In the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the legal processes have been abused. Nobody remains sane in jail for more than seven years while a case is being tried. People are frustrated and believe that if you do not find anything against this man, release him or reach a political solution,” he added.
Kanu, the IPOB leader, continues to face charges related to his campaign for the secession of Biafra. His trial has been the subject of national and international attention since his re-arrest.