Actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has joined the growing list of voices demanding the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has spent over seven years in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain called for a political resolution to Kanu’s prolonged detention, describing it as a stain on Nigeria’s justice system.
A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years and cannot even reach a judgment as to the culpability of his crime is a nation failing in the dispensation of justice, he said.
Okonkwo lamented what he described as the “abuse of legal process” in Kanu’s trial, noting that the Constitution demands that an accused person be tried within a reasonable period.
It is very unreasonable to keep a man in detention for almost seven years. What are you judging? he asked.
Kanu was re-arrested in June 2021 and has remained in DSS custody despite multiple court orders granting him bail or calling for his release.
Several political leaders — including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and governors from the South-East — have urged President Bola Tinubu to explore dialogue and reconciliation.
Okonkwo warned that continued detention without resolution deepens public frustration and undermines national unity.
”People are frustrated. If you do not find anything against this man, release him or reach a political solution,” he said.
As agitation resurfaces following Omoyele Sowore’s recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, Okonkwo’s remarks add pressure on the government to act — but will the call for a political solution gain any traction?
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
