The Ohanaeze Youth Council Worldwide has warned that the continued trial and detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, could cost President Bola Ahmed Tinubu victory in the 2027 presidential election.
The group said the continued incarceration of Kanu had deepened anger among many Igbo youths and residents of the South-East.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the National President of the OYC, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, described Kanu’s arrest, rendition and trial as unconstitutional and unlawful.
He alleged that the continued prosecution of the IPOB leader was politically motivated and urged Tinubu to discontinue the case in the interest of national unity.
Igboayaka claimed that the extraordinary rendition of Kanu from Kenya violated international law, adding that those behind the operation had yet to be held accountable.
He compared the matter with the attempted abduction of former Nigerian minister, Umaru Dikko, in London in 1984, which led to diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to him, those involved in the Dikko incident were prosecuted abroad, while no action had been taken against officials allegedly linked to Kanu’s rendition.
The OYC president further claimed that many Igbo people viewed Kanu as a symbol of freedom and resistance.
He warned that retaining Kanu in detention ahead of the 2027 general election could affect Tinubu’s support in the South-East.
“It is unrealistic to expect Ndigbo to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 while Nnamdi Kanu remains in prison,” he said.
Igboayaka called on the Federal Government to release Kanu unconditionally and embrace political dialogue to address grievances in the region.
Kanu has remained in the custody of the Federal Government since he was rearrested in 2021 following his extradition from Kenya.
