Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has cautioned that the recent conviction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu could intensify security tensions across Nigeria.
In a statement on his X account on Saturday, Obi said the judgment risks inflaming national unrest rather than easing it. He urged Nigerians to reflect deeply, particularly at a time when the country faces economic challenges and growing insecurity.
Obi described Kanu’s arrest and detention as avoidable, suggesting the situation reflects leadership failures and a misunderstanding of the underlying issues. He argued that Kanu’s grievances were neither new nor insurmountable but required “wisdom, empathy, and genuine engagement.”
He criticised the government for prioritising force over dialogue or reforms, saying, “Coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. In this case, reason was not fully explored, if at all.” Obi called on the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected statesmen to intervene and work toward sustainable peace.
Emphasising the importance of reconciliation, Obi urged the nation to choose “healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division,” expressing hope that justice, fairness, and compassion could pave the way for lasting peace.
Earlier this week, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu on all seven terrorism-related charges against him. Justice James Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment on five counts, 20 years on one count related to membership in a proscribed terrorist group, and five years on another for unlawful importation of a radio transmitter. All sentences carry no option of fine.
The charges relate to Kanu’s secessionist campaigns, alleged terrorism, killings of security operatives, destruction of public property, and operation of Radio Biafra. The court held that his recorded threats and sit-at-home directives in the South-East constituted acts of terrorism under Nigerian law.
