A former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi, has again made a call for the release of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group, Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking during an interactive session with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., United States, in a video that has been widely shared on social media, Obi posited, that there was no justification for the continued detention of Kanu.
According to the Obidient Movement which also shared the video, the visit took place a few days ago.
The former Anambra State governor said he had consistently maintained that Kanu should not remain in custody.
“I said it repeatedly that there’s no reason for keeping Nnamdi Kanu. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason, no reason whatsoever.
“You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on the radio or calling people’s names. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
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Drawing from his experience as a politician, Obi said public figures are often subjected to criticism and name-calling, which, according to him, should not be treated as a criminal offence.
“I’m a politician. People call me all sorts of names. And I don’t think calling me names has anything to do with… It’s not an offence,” he stated.
Obi also said he would adopt dialogue in addressing agitations across the country if given the opportunity to lead.
According to him, engaging agitators would help the government understand the issues driving their demands and find lasting solutions.
“Even all agitators, if I’m in government today, I will discuss with them. I will engage with them.
“I will consult with them. Because I believe that they have a reason for whatever they want to do. It’s only by engaging them that we’ll learn and see how we can solve it. But I am not in a position to do anything today,” Obi added.
Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, is currently serving a life imprisonment sentence following his conviction on terrorism-related charges by a Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025.
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