The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday issued a strong defence of calls made by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, urging the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group also criticised Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in response to remarks credited to his Special Adviser on Media, Ejimofor Opara, who faulted Obi for his renewed appeal for Kanu’s freedom.
Obi had, during an engagement with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., United States, reiterated his position that Kanu’s continued detention could not be justified. According to the Obidient Movement, the interaction occurred a few days earlier.
In a video circulating widely online, the former Anambra State governor maintained that he had consistently supported the view that Kanu should not remain in detention.
Reacting to Obi’s comments, Opara described them as a “major slap” not only on the Nigerian judiciary but also on the judiciary in Finland, where Simon Ekpa, described as Kanu’s protégé, was tried, convicted, and is currently serving a six-year jail term for terrorism-related offences.
In a counter-response, IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, accused Governor Soludo of inconsistency and political hypocrisy, alleging that he had previously backed similar calls for Kanu’s release.
The group pointed to Soludo’s reported visit to Kanu while he was in the custody of the Department of State Services in January 2023, during which he allegedly advocated for his release and expressed willingness to stand as surety for him.
IPOB also referenced statements attributed to state officials which it said indicated earlier efforts to secure Kanu’s freedom.
According to the organisation, the governor’s current position, as reflected in his aide’s criticism of Obi, represents a shift driven by political considerations.
“What changed is your ambition,” the statement read, accusing Soludo of political inconsistency and betrayal of the Igbo cause.
The separatist group further maintained its longstanding demand for Kanu’s release, insisting that his continued detention is a matter of injustice rather than political negotiation.
IPOB added that its position aligns with “well-meaning Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines” who have continued to call for his freedom.
Reaffirming its stance, the group demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of Kanu, describing his detention as unjust.
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Kanu is currently serving a life imprisonment sentence following his conviction on terrorism-related charges by a Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2025.
The court found him guilty on multiple counts, including terrorism, incitement, membership of a proscribed organisation, and offences linked to separatist activities in the South-East.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment on the main counts, with additional concurrent sentences on other charges. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but the court imposed life imprisonment instead.
Following the judgment, Kanu rejected the ruling and filed an appeal challenging both his conviction and sentence.
His legal team has described the verdict as a “travesty of justice” and argued that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 over separatist-related charges and was granted bail in 2017. He later fled Nigeria after a military operation at his family home in Abia State.
He was subsequently re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria, a development that sparked legal and diplomatic controversy.
Since then, his trial and continued detention have remained highly contentious, with supporters describing him as a political prisoner, while the Federal Government maintains that he must answer for alleged terrorism-related offences and violence linked to the separatist movement.