The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the immediate release of pro-Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu, describing his continued imprisonment as a grave miscarriage of justice and a violation of fundamental human rights. The group declared Kanu a prisoner of conscience and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use the constitutional prerogative of mercy to secure his freedom.
In a statement issued in Abuja, HURIWA highlighted that on October 13, 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered Kanu’s release, ruling that his forceful return from Kenya in 2021 violated both domestic and international law. Instead of complying, the federal government appealed the decision, and the Supreme Court later overturned the ruling, resuming the trial at the Federal High Court.
HURIWA criticized the trial under Justice James Omotosho as being marked by “hostility and predetermined conclusions,” pointing out that the court relied heavily on interpretations of Kanu’s broadcasts rather than direct evidence linking him to violence.
The rights group emphasized that advocating for self-determination is not terrorism, noting that international law recognizes the right of peoples to peacefully pursue political autonomy. Drawing parallels with the detention of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, HURIWA warned that Nigeria has a recurring pattern of targeting outspoken critics of the state.
HURIWA also raised concerns about selective justice, contrasting Kanu’s incarceration with the treatment of Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho, who benefited from political negotiations, questioning whether ethnicity influenced the handling of separatist movements.
“Freeing Nnamdi Kanu is not just a matter of justice—it is essential for national reconciliation and peace,” the group said. “His release would help de-escalate tensions in the South-East and create space for dialogue on the region’s political grievances.”
HURIWA concluded: “The continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu serves no constructive purpose. He should be released immediately and allowed to pursue his political beliefs within the bounds of democratic engagement.”
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator,
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
Thursday, March 12, 2026