Legal practitioner and public affairs analyst Kenneth Okonkwo has condemned the continued detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as an affront to justice and the rule of law.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Okonkwo criticized the federal government’s handling of the case, saying it has failed to demonstrate diligence in prosecution and respect for the constitution. He declared, “It is very unreasonable to keep a man in detention for almost 7 years.”
According to Okonkwo, the prolonged trial and indefinite detention of Kanu amount to a violation of his constitutional rights and a failure of the Nigerian justice system. He noted that Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that every citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years without reaching judgment is a nation that is failing in the dispensation of justice,” he said. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and when due process is ignored for this long, it becomes an abuse of legal process.”
Okonkwo further explained that the Attorney General of the Federation has the constitutional responsibility to ensure that legal actions serve the interest of justice and do not amount to persecution. He added that the federal government should seek a political solution to the matter, as the continued detention of Kanu only fuels frustration and deepens regional tensions.
“The federal government is failing on all fronts,” he stated. “When you arrest, detain, and try a man for years without conclusion, you are not just punishing him—you are also undermining public confidence in the judicial process.”
He urged the government to demonstrate leadership through dialogue and fairness rather than prolonged confrontation, warning that the continued detention of the IPOB leader would only intensify public discontent and agitation across the country. See, More, Here>>>>
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