Lawyer and political analyst, Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticized the Federal Government over the prolonged detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as “a total failure of justice” and evidence that Nigeria’s rule of law has collapsed.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily Programme on Monday, Okonkwo said it was unconstitutional and “very unreasonable” to keep a man in custody for nearly seven years without judgment.
According to him, “A nation that detains a human being for more than seven years and you have him in your custody, yet he couldn’t even reach a judgment, is a nation failing in the dispensation of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Okonkwo’s comments come amid Protests over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021 after he was re-arrested and returned to Nigeria from Kenya.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered his release, but the Federal Government appealed the ruling and obtained a stay of execution at the Supreme Court, allowing his continued detention.
His prolonged detention has sparked repeated protests across the South-East and Abuja, with supporters demanding his release and accusing the government of double standards in its approach to justice.
Okonkwo faulted the Federal Government and the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation for allegedly abusing legal processes and failing to act in the public interest, noting that section 36 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time.
He stressed that the legal process in Kanu’s case has been blatantly abused while also maintaining that Kanu’s continued detention had become a symbol of frustration and injustice, particularly for Nigerians in the South-East.
He urged the government to adopt a political solution rather than relying on endless court processes, warning that ignoring public sentiment could deepen divisions in the country.
“We have pleaded that this should be treated as a political issue and settled out politically so that every party will go home in peace,” said Okonkwo.
Backing the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest ongoing in Abuja on Monday, Okonkwo said Nigerians had the right to express themselves peacefully. He condemned security agencies for disrupting demonstrations, arguing that it was their duty to guide protesters and maintain order, not to suppress them.
“When protests degenerate, it shows inefficiency from the state. It’s the responsibility of the police to protect protesters and ensure they protest in accordance with the law,” he said.
He compared the agitation for Kanu’s release with the 2020 EndSARS protests, marking its fifth anniversary, saying both were born out of “suffering, hunger, and the failure of government to keep its promises.”
According to him, the deepening hardship in Nigeria had made both citizens and security operatives desperate, blaming corruption and incompetent leadership for crippling vital sectors like refineries, schools, and hospitals.
“When a man has not eaten and is carrying a rifle, he is easily triggered. The country is failing everyone, including the security agencies. People are protesting because they are idle and hungry. Nigeria is under the siege of incompetent and corrupt leaders,” he said.
Reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s recent pardon of some convicted public officials, he described it as “an embarrassing show of confusion,” saying it was wrong for the government to announce pardons for individuals convicted by the Supreme Court, only to later say the process would be reviewed.
NewsNGR reports that Okonkwo further condemned the pardons as “incompetence standing on two legs,” warning that they embolden corruption and erode trust.
He said forgiveness must serve justice and public interest, urging the government to rebuild confidence through credible leadership and respect for the rule of law.
“When a nation’s growth is on paper and its people sink in hunger, that’s not progress. That is polished poverty wearing the mask of statistics,” he said.
Leave a Comment