Don’t use Nnamdi Kanu’s detention as bargaining chip — Nwachukwu tells Umahi, others

A justice advocate, Chijioke Nwachukwu, has condemned recent political comments suggesting that the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu could be used as a bargaining tool for electoral support.

He emphasised that Kanu’s case is fundamentally about justice and human rights, not political convenience or electoral calculations.

In a statement, Nwachukwu described the continued detention of the IPOB leader as both illegal and morally indefensible.

“Kanu’s detention is about justice, not politics. Using his release as a bargaining chip undermines legal principles and trivialises the suffering of the Igbo people,” he said.

Nwachukwu, who signed the statement personally, condemned recent remarks by Nigerian officials, including Minister of Works Dave Umahi, suggesting that Ndigbo should offer political support in 2027 in exchange for Kanu’s release.

He described Umahi’s position as offensive and politically misguided.

“He does not speak for Ndigbo. He speaks only for himself and a few self-serving opportunists,” Nwachukwu said.

He stressed that Kanu’s innocence has already been affirmed by multiple courts.

He referenced the October 2022 ruling of the Nigerian Court of Appeal, which discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges, as well as a June 2025 ruling by the Kenyan High Court, which found that Kanu’s abduction and extraordinary rendition violated international law and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. A Nigerian Federal High Court has since echoed similar sentiments.

“Kanu’s continued illegal detention is not a matter for political negotiations or electoral permutations. It is a matter of justice, law, and fundamental human rights,” Nwachukwu stressed.

He called those who view Kanu’s fate as negotiable ‘a disgrace and a betrayal.’

Criticising what he described as political opportunism, Nwachukwu dismissed Umahi’s call for conditional support as completely out of touch with public sentiment.

“If he believes otherwise, let him organise a town hall meeting in Enugu, Aba, or Onitsha and see how many people show up voluntarily,” he challenged.

He reaffirmed that Kanu commands significant support among the Igbo, a result of deep-rooted frustrations among a historically marginalised population.

“Reducing him to a political bargaining chip insults the pain and resilience of Ndigbo and Biafrans everywhere,” Nwachukwu declared.

He also criticised politicians who change allegiances based on who holds power, calling them ‘errand boys’ and urging Nigerian leaders to act with courage and integrity.

“Kanu’s release is a legal, moral, and constitutional obligation. It should not be traded for votes or political favours,” he said.

Nwachukwu warned that both the Igbo people and the international community are watching, and that history will judge harshly those who sacrifice justice at the altar of political expediency.