A lawyer and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has renewed calls for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021. Over the years, several prominent figures, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and governors from the South-East region, have repeatedly appealed to the Federal Government to secure his release.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Okonkwo demanded a political solution to Kanu’s prolonged detention, lamenting what he described as the poor state of justice delivery in the country.
“A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years, you have him in your custody and yet you couldn’t even reach a judgment as to the culpability of his crime, is a nation that is failing in the dispensation of justice,” he said.
Okonkwo, who is also an actor, cited Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, emphasizing that every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He argued that keeping someone in detention for nearly seven years without judgment violates this principle.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. When it comes to the issue of crime, the Constitution is very clear that the accused or defendant should be judged within a reasonable time. It is very unreasonable to keep a man in detention for almost seven years. What are you judging?” he questioned.
He further claimed that the handling of Kanu’s case represents a failure of due process. “In the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the legal processes have been abused. Nobody remains sane to be in jail for more than seven years while a case is being tried,” Okonkwo added.
According to him, many Nigerians are frustrated with the prolonged legal battle and want the government to either conclude the case or seek a political resolution.
“People are frustrated. People believe that if you do not find anything against this man, release him or reach a political solution,” he said.
