Nigerian lawyer, Onyedikachi Ifedi, has once again raised his voice, demanding the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Ifedi, who is part of Kanu’s legal team, argued that the IPOB leader’s arrest and repatriation from Kenya in June 2021 did not follow due process under both Nigerian and international law. According to him, the manner of Kanu’s rendition remains a fundamental breach of his rights.
Citing the Court of Appeal judgment in FRN v. Kanu (CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022) delivered on October 13, 2022, Ifedi reminded the government that the court had already ruled that Kanu’s extraordinary rendition was unlawful and struck out the charges. “The Court of Appeal made a binding pronouncement on the illegality of the rendition. Once jurisdiction is affected, the proper legal order should be a release,” he said firmly.
He further pointed out that the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, under which Kanu was being prosecuted, has already been repealed and replaced by the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. “Any charge predicated on a repealed law cannot stand,” he insisted, noting that the government has not provided concrete evidence linking Kanu to violent acts. Instead, most of the allegations revolve around his speeches and radio broadcasts.
The lawyer also stressed that an appellate discharge is legally equivalent to an acquittal. Any fresh attempt to re-try Kanu, he warned, would amount to double jeopardy — a clear violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
In a passionate appeal, Ifedi urged the Federal Government to respect the rule of law and release Kanu, not just for legal correctness but also for peace and reconciliation. “Nigeria must choose justice and dialogue over prolonged conflict,” he added, framing the release as a step toward healing national wounds.
