The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has firmly stated that he does not require anyone to beg the Nigerian government for his release, as he has committed no crime.
In a statement issued by his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Esq., Kanu reiterated that his freedom is not a matter of mercy or pardon but rather an issue of legal compliance with court rulings that have declared his continued detention unlawful.
This declaration comes in response to a recent appeal by Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who urged President Bola Tinubu to exercise clemency and release Kanu as a goodwill gesture towards fostering peace in the South-East. Kalu made this plea following the inaugural meeting of the House of Representatives committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) at the National Assembly complex in Abuja. He praised the President for his support of the region, particularly for his swift approval of the South-East Development Commission Bill, which had failed in previous assemblies.
However, Kanu’s legal team was quick to dismiss this approach, emphasizing that the judiciary had already ruled his detention unconstitutional. His lawyers argued that international tribunal decisions have also found his detention unlawful, making his release a simple matter of enforcing the law, not an act of governmental goodwill.
In his statement, Kanu reaffirmed that he had not broken any laws, and his detention was merely a political move to criminalize his right to self-determination. He insisted that those advocating for his freedom should do so by invoking the principles of justice and legality, rather than framing it as an appeal for clemency.
Ejimakor outlined the following key points from his conversation with Kanu:
1. Kanu’s release is not a plea for mercy but a legal necessity. The Federal High Court has already ruled his detention unconstitutional, and international bodies have deemed it unlawful. The government can also discontinue his trial through the Attorney General, in line with constitutional provisions.
2. No one should beg on his behalf. Self-determination is an inalienable right under Nigerian law and international legal frameworks, including those of the United Nations, the United Kingdom, and Kenya. His ongoing detention represents an unlawful attempt to suppress this right.
3. Appeals for clemency send the wrong message. Those calling for his release must avoid language that could be misinterpreted as justification for his ongoing prosecution, which Kanu asserts is baseless.
4. Calls for his freedom should focus on upholding the rule of law. Kanu urged his supporters to adopt the assertive stance taken by groups such as Afenifere, Ohaneze, the World Igbo Congress (WIC), American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, as well as ranking members of the National Assembly and international advocates. These groups have insisted on his release as a matter of justice, not political favor.
5. The Nigerian government, not Kanu, should be held accountable. His legal team pointed out that Kanu was subjected to extraordinary rendition—a violation of international law. Instead of asking for clemency, efforts should be focused on holding the government accountable for its actions.
Kanu expressed deep gratitude to those working towards restoring peace and stability in the South-East. However, he remains resolute in his position: his release should not be a matter of presidential benevolence but of legal duty.
His message is clear: he will not be a subject of negotiation or political bargaining. The government must obey its own laws and let justice prevail.
PIONEER NEWS 