Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for Nnamdi Kanu’s release, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He described Kanu’s prolonged detention as “an open sore on our nation’s conscience.” Atiku issued the statement on Thursday amid renewed pressure on the federal government to comply with court orders and respect due process, that would lead to his bail.
Atiku said that President Bola Tinubu’s government’s failure to obey court rulings granting Kanu bail amounts to “an assault on justice.” He voiced support for the already ongoing campaign led by activist Omoyele Sowore demanding Kanu’s “immediate release or due prosecution,” and asserted that Nigeria risks moral failure if the case continues unabated.
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‘’Atiku wrote on X, ‘The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains an open sore on our nation’s conscience and a stain on our belief in the rule of law. Defying court orders that granted him bail is an abuse of power and an assault on justice.’’’ He added, “We fail as patriots if we allow Kanu’s case to fester as yet another wound this nation refuses to heal.”
Kanu has been under the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in Kenya in June 2021 and extradition to Nigeria. His detention has been filled by legal controversies, including multiple court orders granting him bail which has not been implemented by prosecuting authorities.
He is facing a seven-count charge that includes allegations of terrorism and treason, with the government accusing him of crimes against national security. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts, which carry potential life sentences, and in September 2025, a court had rejected several attempts to dismiss the terrorism charges against Kanu, stating the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to proceed.
On Wednesday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned Kanu’s trial to October 16 after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) failed to submit a medical report on his health condition.
In September 2025, a court had rejected several attempts to dismiss the terrorism charges against Kanu, and ordered that he face trial.