Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), has described the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as politically influenced. During an appearance on Arise TV’s News Day on July 3, Okonkwo labeled Kanu as a “political prisoner,” stating, “The longer Nnamdi Kanu is in prison, the taller he becomes and the shorter the government becomes.”
Kanu has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his extradition from Kenya in June 2021 and is currently being tried on terrorism charges at the federal high court. There have been increasing demands for his release, particularly from the southeast region, with 50 members of the House of Representatives urging President Bola Tinubu to order his release in June. Additionally, the Southeast Governors’ Forum plans to meet with Tinubu to advocate for Kanu’s freedom.
The Southeast region has experienced a rise in violent activities by gunmen enforcing a sit-at-home order on Mondays to demand Kanu’s release. Okonkwo argued that Kanu’s continued detention is due to “ethnic bias,” highlighting that other separatists, such as Yoruba nation agitator Sunday Igboho and some Boko Haram members, have been released or reassimilated into society, unlike Kanu. He questioned why Kanu’s case is different and attributed it to unnecessary bias.
