Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the prolonged detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a grave injustice and a clear indication that Nigeria’s justice system is politically manipulated and ethnically biased.

Speaking on ARISE News on Thursday, Sowore said Kanu’s incarceration for over ten years without conviction, despite multiple court orders for his release, was “a travesty and a violation of his fundamental human rights.”

“It is in his own case that you can say he’s presumed guilty and is trying to prove his innocence, which is very sad if you look at how long it has taken for all these court processes to take place,” Sowore said.

“Kanu’s fate is not in the hands of the judiciary. If a decision was taken today by the owners of Nigeria to let him go, the judge could sit in the middle of the night and release him.”

Sowore revealed that his call for a nationwide peaceful protest on October 20 to demand Kanu’s release was motivated by friendship, principle, and justice.

“We’ve been friends for a long time. I interviewed him when he was relatively unknown and was among the first to go to court after he was renditioned from Kenya. I understand the nature of justice and fear here, and his constitutional rights,” he said.

“President Tinubu just pardoned 82 people — including a fraudster and a convicted cocaine trafficker. I’m not asking for a pardon for Kanu, but it’s time to let him go.”

On the level of support for Kanu’s release, Sowore said public backing was “unprecedented.”

“I’ve been fighting for his release for a long time, and I’ve been attacked several times in court. But now, I’m surprised by the number of non-traditional people supporting him. In a recent online poll of 17,000 people, 92% backed his release and the planned protest,” he stated.

Sowore accused some Southeast political leaders of deliberately sabotaging Kanu’s freedom for personal and political reasons.

“Kanu’s ordeal is partly because some politicians in the Southeast believe his release would jeopardise their political future,” he said.

“When Tinubu first became president, I was part of some conversations about his release, but they said if he comes out, APC might not win. Now, some of those same leaders have switched off their phones and ignored my messages.”

“I reached out to Governor Charles Soludo, Alex Otti, and Peter Obi — none responded. Only Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe replied and said he’s in on this. He suffered when he stood surety for Kanu, and that shows real courage.”

According to Sowore, quiet diplomacy has failed, and only public pressure can force change.

“Diplomacy cannot work. If it was going to, it would have done so by now. They use talk of diplomacy to make the public complacent,” he said.

“It’s time for a loud, public disapproval of his continued detention. A peaceful protest will work. That’s why I’m calling on everyone — not just Igbos — to join the march to Aso Rock.”

Responding to claims that protests are difficult to organise in Nigeria, Sowore said fear and government repression have discouraged many citizens.

“It’s not impossible. Nigerians protested for 10 days straight in 2024. What’s been impossible is unity of purpose because the government has mastered how to divide us along ethnic lines,” he explained.

“They discourage protests by killing demonstrators, charging them with treason, and making examples out of young people. But the consciousness is growing again, and Nigerians are paying attention.”

Sowore also dismissed security concerns tied to Kanu, saying the IPOB leader had publicly renounced violence.

“He made an open declaration in court last year — he said, ‘Give me five minutes. If I’m released, I will end the violence in the Southeast.’ What more do you want from him?” Sowore said.

“If you’re a Nigerian, you can get away with a lot of things. But if you’re an Igbo Nigerian, you can’t. The laws are stacked against you.”

He questioned the fairness of Kanu’s decade-long prosecution, noting that no concrete evidence or witness testimony had linked him to violence or arms possession.

“In ten years, no one has testified that he imported weapons or committed any violent act. The only thing he did was declare that he wants Biafra. And I’ve checked the 1999 Constitution — there’s nowhere it says that’s a crime,” Sowore said.

Turning to Nigeria’s broader political climate, Sowore lamented that each administration had worsened the country’s condition.

“Every president in Nigeria is worse than the last. After Buhari left, people even said, ‘Give us Buhari’s Naira.’ That tells you how bad things have become,” he said.

“The electoral process is broken, poverty is worsening, and leadership is declining. The government says my view is too bleak, but I’ve never been wrong — they have been.”

He added that Nigerians’ mass emigration reflects the country’s worsening despair.

“People are leaving because they see the darkness hovering over this country. Nobody leaves a place that’s progressing,” Sowore said.

“The only people left are those stuck here. Nigeria has denied its people basic rights — working hospitals, safe roads, electricity, justice, and peace. That’s why they’re leaving in droves.”

Sowore concluded by reaffirming his commitment to remain in Nigeria despite his passport being seized.

“Even if I could leave, I’ve decided to stay. We shouldn’t have to travel 12,000 miles just to drink clean water or drive on good roads. If Nigeria works, people will return tomorrow — even without their bags.”

He Insisted that releasing Nnamdi Kanu was not only a matter of justice but a test of Nigeria’s conscience and democracy. (AriseNews TV)