Veteran actor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, urging a political solution to the lingering case.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021, a development that has continued to spark nationwide appeals for his release.
Prominent figures, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, have also joined calls for Kanu’s freedom.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Okonkwo expressed concern over the prolonged detention and criticised the Nigerian justice system’s handling of the case.
“A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years — without concluding judgment on his alleged crime — is a nation failing in the dispensation of justice,” Okonkwo said.
He cited Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which upholds the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, stressing that the extended delay in Kanu’s trial undermines the credibility of the judiciary.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said. “When it comes to criminal matters, the Constitution is clear — an accused person must be tried within a reasonable time. Keeping a man in detention for nearly seven years is unjustifiable. What exactly are you judging?”
Okonkwo further described Kanu’s lengthy pretrial detention as a violation of human rights and due process, insisting that such treatment should not occur in a democratic society.
“In Nnamdi Kanu’s case, the legal process has been abused. Nobody should be kept in custody for over seven years while awaiting judgment. People are frustrated. If there’s no case against him, he should be released — or a political solution should be pursued,” he added.
