“Justice, Not Politics” Is a Cover for Persecuting Nnamdi Kanu — Lawyer Fires Back at Misleading Editorial

 


A human rights lawyer, Barrister Christopher Chidera, has faulted a recent editorial titled Justice, Not Politics, Must Decide Nnamdi Kanu’s Fate,” describing it as “a deceptive defense of government lawlessness disguised as moral commentary.”

In a statement titled Demolishing the Facade: Why ‘Justice, Not Politics’ Is Really Code for Persecuting Nnamdi Kanu,”Chidera said the article distorts facts, ignores binding court rulings, and conceals the political nature of Kanu’s continued detention.

“What the editorial calls ‘justice’ is actually a continuation of persecution that violates Nigeria’s Constitution and international law,” he said.

The Sit-at-Home Myth

According to Chidera, linking Kanu and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the Monday sit-at-home order in the South-East is false and outdated.
He explained that IPOB had officially ended the policy years ago, and both Kanu and the group have repeatedly condemned those still enforcing it.

“Even while in solitary confinement, Kanu issued handwritten directives in 2023 ordering a complete stop to sit-at-home and warning that it only harms the region’s economy,” he said.

He accused those still linking Kanu to the violence of “wilful dishonesty” and said insecurity in the region is now driven more by “state failure and criminal opportunists than by IPOB.”

From Trial to Persecution

Chidera also dismissed claims that Kanu’s case is simply a matter for the courts, arguing that the judicial process itself has been repeatedly violated.

He recalled that Kanu was unlawfully abducted from Kenya in June 2021 and that both Nigerian and Kenyan courts had declared his rendition illegal.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted Kanu, ruling that his rendition stripped Nigerian courts of jurisdiction to try him.

“That judgment remains binding and irreversible,” Chidera stated. “The Supreme Court’s December 2023 ruling did not set aside that acquittal—it wrongly ordered a retrial, contrary to Section 36(9) of the Constitution, which forbids double jeopardy.”

He described the ongoing proceedings before Justice James Omotosho as “a constitutional mockery” and said Kanu’s detention “has no legal foundation whatsoever.”

Selective Justice

The lawyer criticized what he called the government’s “double standards,” noting that while violent militants and terrorists in other regions are granted amnesty and reintegration, Kanu—whose alleged crime is “speech, not violence”—is subjected to endless prosecution.

“Kanu’s movement sought a referendum, which is a democratic right under international law. Yet, he is treated worse than those who take up arms against the state,” Chidera said.

He argued that the selective application of justice exposes “deep political and ethnic bias” in Nigeria’s legal system.

What Real Justice Demands

Chidera emphasized that true justice means obeying court orders and applying the law equally to all citizens.

“Every major court that has heard Kanu’s case has affirmed that his rights were violated and that he should be released. Refusing to comply with those rulings is what destroys justice—not IPOB, not Kanu,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to immediately and unconditionally release Kanu in compliance with existing judgments.

Conclusion

“When politicians say ‘let justice decide,’ they must first allow justice to function,” Chidera warned.
“Keeping a man in detention after he has been discharged and acquitted is not justice—it is politics wearing the mask of law.”

He concluded that Nigeria must confront its own hypocrisy and respect the rule of law if it truly seeks peace and unity.

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