Prominent norhtern leader and public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying his continued incarceration is “immoral” and unjustified in light of how similar agitators were treated in the past.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Shehu argued that Kanu’s case should be viewed not only from the lens of justice but also from that of equity, fairness, and good conscience.
He recalled that during the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, several secessionist agitators who once took up arms against the state were later reintegrated into society and even honoured.
“As if by coincidence, the moment Obasanjo was sworn in as civilian president in May 1999, Gani Adams, then heading the militant and armed wing of the OPC, went on a killing spree, maiming and burning in the name of championing the Oduduwa Republic,” Shehu wrote.
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He noted that Adams and his group openly declared the Oduduwa Republic, complete with a flag and anthem — an act he described as “treasonable.”
“Rather than being treated as a criminal, he is today a traditional title holder, dining with the high and mighty of Yoruba society,” he added.
Shehu further cited the case of Asari Dokubo, who led the armed Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force during the same period, engaging in violent confrontations and kidnappings.
“Rather than treating him as a secessionist, he was rewarded with billion-naira pipeline protection contracts,” Shehu said, pointing out that Dokubo still moves around with armed guards and holds traditional titles.
He also mentioned Sunday Igboho, who declared the Oduduwa Republic but is “being treated as an agitator rather than a secessionist.”
Drawing parallels, Shehu said Kanu, who declared a Biafra Republic, designed a flag, introduced a currency, and built a paramilitary structure, should not be treated differently.
“He was deceived, abducted, and kidnapped using a fellow Igbo senator, and has been in custody since then,” Shehu wrote.
He concluded by saying that Nigeria’s failure to apply the same standard of law to similar offences reflects deep-rooted injustice.
“Any country or leadership that treats the same offenders with different sets of laws will never know peace nor progress.
“If Kanu cannot be released on the basis of justice, he surely deserves to be released based on equity, fairness, and good conscience — having seen how offenders like him have been treated with kid gloves and ethnic flavour,”v he warned.
