Peter Obi says Nnamdi Kanu should not be in prison

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying his continued detention is unnecessary.

Obi made the remarks during an interactive session with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., United States, where he maintained that his position on Kanu’s case has remained unchanged.

He argued that keeping Kanu in prison does not help address the underlying grievances driving separatist agitation in parts of the country.

Kanu was convicted in November 2025 by a Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court found him guilty on multiple counts, including incitement and involvement in a proscribed organisation.

Following the judgment, Kanu rejected the ruling and filed an appeal to challenge both his conviction and sentence. His legal team has consistently argued that the trial was unfair.

Obi, however, insisted that criminalising speech or criticism is not the right approach, saying that controversial opinions should not automatically lead to imprisonment.

He added that dialogue and engagement remain the best way to resolve separatist and other political grievances, stressing that governments should seek to understand the root causes of such movements rather than relying solely on force.

According to him, if given the opportunity to lead, he would engage with aggrieved groups to find peaceful solutions through discussion and consultation.

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