The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has stated that there is no justification for the continued incarceration of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Obi made the remarks during an engagement with members of the Nigerian diaspora in Washington, D.C., where he reiterated his long-standing position that Kanu’s detention should be reconsidered in favour of dialogue and engagement.
According to him, addressing grievances through conversation remains a more effective approach than prolonged detention.
He said:
“I have said this repeatedly, there is no reason for keeping (in prison) Nnamdi Kanu. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason whatsoever.
You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on radio and calling people names. It doesn’t make sense. Anybody can tell you anything. I’m a politician. People call me all sorts of names. I don’t think calling me names is an offence. It is not an offence.
If I’m in government today, I will discuss with all agitators. I will engage them. I will consult with them.
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.”
Obi added that sustained engagement with dissenting voices and separatist agitators would help government better understand underlying grievances and potentially resolve tensions.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted on terrorism-related charges by a Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025. The court found him guilty of multiple counts including incitement, membership of a proscribed organisation, and alleged involvement in attacks linked to separatist activities in Nigeria’s South-East.
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