Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has spent 1,133 days in the Department of State Services (DSS) detention. Kanu was arrested on June 27, 2021, in Kenya and extradited to Nigeria, where he faces charges of terrorism, treasonable felony, and inciting violence through his Radio Biafra broadcasts.
Despite Interpol’s public denial of involvement, the Nigerian government claimed cooperation with the international police in Kanu’s arrest. His detention has sparked significant unrest among Biafran separatists, leading to the initiation of the Monday sit-at-home regime in the South-East.
In 2021, the World Igbo Congress condemned Kanu’s arrest as “illegal abduction and international gangsterism.” Kanu has maintained that he fled Nigeria in 2017 due to military actions against him. During his arraignment on June 29, 2021, Kanu reiterated that his departure was driven by an infringement on his rights.
Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), revealed that Kanu’s arrest was the result of a collaborative effort between Nigerian security agencies and Interpol. Kanu was ordered to be detained at a DSS facility during his court appearance on July 26, 2021.
Kanu’s trial commenced in October 2021 with charges including terrorism, treason, involvement with a banned separatist movement, inciting public violence, and defamation of Nigerian authorities. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. On November 10, 2021, Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, walked out in protest over alleged restrictions on the legal defense team’s access to the courtroom.
In January 2022, Justice Benson Anya of the Abia State High Court ruled that Kanu’s 2017 arrest was unlawful and his abduction and return to Nigeria were illegal under local and international laws. Despite this ruling, Kanu remained in detention.
On October 13, 2022, the Court of Appeal in Abuja quashed the 15-count terrorism charge against Kanu, ordering his release. However, Kanu remained in custody. On December 15, 2023, Nigeria’s Supreme Court overturned the lower court ruling, dismissing the terrorism charges but stating that Kanu still faced other charges.
Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, clarified that Kanu did not request a political solution, though there had been brief discussions about it. Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, an apex socio-cultural organization, has repeatedly called for Kanu’s unconditional release, emphasizing that it would lead to peace and harmony in the South-East.
Before his death, Ohanaeze’s President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and spokesperson, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, urged President Bola Tinubu to free Kanu, suggesting it would quell insecurity in the region and demonstrate Tinubu’s empathy towards the Igbo people.
Efforts to reach Nigeria’s Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi, and prosecutor Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.
