FOMER presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over the conviction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, warning that the development risks heightening tensions at a time when Nigeria is already grappling with deep economic hardship and worsening insecurity.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Obi described the conviction as “unfortunate” and a reflection of leadership failure, arguing that the government mishandled the matter from the onset.
“The news of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect. This is coming at a time when our beloved nation is facing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance.
“Rather than reducing tension, this unfortunate development may well only aggravate it. I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never have been arrested. His arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake,” Obi said.
The ICIR reported on Thursday that Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court in Abuja convicted and sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment, after admitting that Kanu was a freedom fighter seeking to liberate his people but chose the path of terrorism.
He found the accused guilty of all counts one to seven, including his sit-at-home order resulting in economic losses and death of innocent people in the South-East, being a member of a proscribed organisation and committing acts of terrorism, and threatening anyone who failed to obey his order.
The court also found him guilty of inciting the killings of Nigerian security personnel, and for making broadcasts to kill people.
Obi maintained that dialogue, not force, remains the most effective pathway to lasting peace, insisting that the concerns raised by Kanu were neither new nor impossible to resolve, noting that the government missed opportunities to embrace constructive engagement, empathy, and inclusive governance.
“For years, I have consistently argued that dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace. Coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. In this case, I submit that the reason was not only not exhausted, but was probably not explored at all, or not fully explored.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of. The issues for which he demanded solutions were not insoluble. It only required wisdom, empathy, and a willingness to listen. In any functional society, such grievances are met with dialogue and reforms aimed at strengthening unity,” the former presidential candidate explained.
While urging the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected statesmen to intervene urgently and pursue a political settlement that prioritizes healing, reconciliation, and national unity, Obi likened the government’s handling of the case to “a man trapped in a hole who, instead of finding a way out, keeps digging deeper,” warning that the consequences of such actions could worsen national cohesion.
“The government’s approach has only deepened mistrust and created an avoidable distraction at a time when citizens are overwhelmed by harsh economic realities and insecurity. While some may insist that “the law has taken its course,” leadership often demands more than a strict, mechanical application of the law. Nations around the world resort to political solutions, negotiated settlements, and even amnesty when legal processes alone cannot serve the broader interest of peace and stability. Nigeria is not an exception.
“The handling of Kanu’s case mirrors the government as a man trapped in a hole but who, instead of looking for a way out, keeps digging deeper. It worsens not only the government’s predicament but also the nation’s collective condition.
If we truly desire a new Nigeria – a united, peaceful, and progressive one, our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division. Only by addressing grievances with justice, fairness, and compassion can we move towards a future where every Nigerian feels heard, valued, and safe.
“My ultimate call at this time, without prejudice to how anyone feels about the decision of the court, is for us to be optimistic for peace and reconciliation which will come in the end. I am also saying, thereby, that the Presidency, the Council of State and credible statesmen who love this country and who are interested in cohesion and inclusivity, should rise to the occasion, for a lasting solution,” he said.
The ICIR reported that Kanu’s trial began after his 2015 arrest on charges of treasonable felony and terrorism, and the case saw multiple twists and developments since then.
In 2017, Kanu left Nigeria while on bail after a military raid on his home during the “Operation Python Dance” exercise in the South-East.
In June 2021, he was arrested in Kenya under controversial circumstances and repatriated to Nigeria, a development his legal team and IPOB denounced as an “extraordinary rendition.”
Kanu’s defence team consistently questioned the legitimacy of the trial, insisting that major legal and procedural breaches, including alleged violations of international extradition protocols and jurisdictional requirements weakened the prosecution’s case.
The ICIR reported that Kanu sacked his lawyers and agreed to stand for himself in the court. He faced a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.