- Labour Party’s Peter Obi has condemned the Federal Government over the life imprisonment sentence handed to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, warning that the conviction could worsen national tension and urging dialogue, reconciliation, and a political solution
Obi Slams FG After Nnamdi Kanu Gets Life Sentence On Terrorism Charges
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the Federal Government over the life imprisonment handed down to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, warning that the conviction could further inflame national tension.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, the former Anambra State governor said the development comes at a time Nigerians are already battling “severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance,” insisting that the government mishandled Kanu’s case from the beginning.
Obi stressed that Kanu’s arrest, detention, and subsequent conviction were unnecessary and avoidable.
“I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never have been arrested. His arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake,” he wrote.
He reiterated that force and coercion would not resolve the long-standing tensions in the South-East, insisting that “dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace.”
Obi urged national leaders, including the Presidency, Council of State, and respected statesmen, to intervene and pursue a political solution.
“If we truly desire a new Nigeria, our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division,” he added.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment on terrorism charges.
Justice James Omotosho convicted him on multiple counts related to inciting violence, belonging to a proscribed organisation, and encouraging attacks on security agencies, infrastructure, and foreign missions.
He ruled that Nigeria “remains an indivisible entity” and declared that self-determination cannot be pursued violently.
Kanu’s broadcast equipment was ordered forfeited to the government, and the court directed that he be kept in a secure correctional facility with no digital access.
Following the verdict, the Department of State Services (DSS) transferred him to the Nigerian Custodial Centre in Sokoto, complying with the judge’s directive that he be relocated from the Kuje facility.
Kanu’s lead counsel vowed to appeal the judgment, describing the sentence as excessive and politically charged.
His former lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, also criticised the decision to move him to Sokoto, arguing that it places him far from his family, legal team, and supporters.
Kanu’s legal troubles date back to his first arrest in 2015 on treasonable felony and terrorism charges. He fled the country in 2017 following a military operation at his home, but was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 under what his defence team described as an “extraordinary rendition.” Read More
