The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, stating that there is no valid reason to continue holding him in detention without trial.
This appeal was made during Afenifere’s general meeting, which took place on Tuesday at the residence of Chief Ayo Adebanjo in Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State.
Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021. In a communiqué issued after the meeting, which was jointly signed by Afenifere’s Deputy Leader, Oladipo Olaitan, and National Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, the organization expressed its concerns over Kanu’s prolonged detention.
The communiqué highlighted that since Kanu’s abduction and subsequent rendition to Nigeria in 2021, he has been subjected to what they described as controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in multiple courts. Afenifere members argued that, in their view, Kanu’s fair trial is no longer guaranteed, and his continued detention without trial has led them to conclude that he is being held as a political detainee.
In the interest of justice and national reconciliation, Afenifere urged President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu immediately, stressing that there was no justifiable reason to continue his detention.
Part of the communiqué reads: “Afenifere notes that from all circumstances, particularly since his abduction in 2021 and rendition to Nigeria, and since then subjected to controversial and conflicting legal proceedings in different courts by which his fair trial may no longer be guaranteed in the opinion of reasonable members of the public, it is clear that Nnamdi Kanu is indubitably a political detainee.
“In the interest of justice and national reconciliation, Afenifere urges President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu forthwith. There is no justifiable reason to continue keeping him in detention without trial.”
