Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra. He described Kanu’s continued detention as a “stain on Nigeria’s belief in the rule of law.”

Atiku expressed his views in a post shared on his X account on Thursday, expressing full support for the campaign launched by human rights activist and former African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, demanding Kanu’s release.

He stated, “The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is 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. I, therefore, lend my voice in full support of the campaign led by @YeleSowore for his immediate release or due prosecution. We fail as patriots if we allow Kanu’s case to fester as yet another wound this nation refuses to heal.”

On Wednesday, Sowore urged South-East governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to join a planned demonstration calling for Kanu’s release. He stated that he had contacted several prominent Igbo leaders, including Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, to rally support for the movement.

Sowore also mentioned that he reached out to Atiku through his team, emphasizing that the former vice president’s support would lend significant weight to the campaign.

He reflected on his outreach efforts, saying, “I tried reaching out personally to Dr. @alexottiofr, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo @CCSoludo, and Mr. @PeterObi (through his team) today. Alex Otti and Soludo did not take my calls or respond to my messages. They assured me they would inform Mr. @PeterObi about our plans, although he is currently traveling.

“I also reached out to Alhaji @Atiku through his team, while Senator @SenatorAbaribe said he would return my call. I spoke with Obinna Agwuocha of the House of Representatives, who was receptive and encouraging. The Abia State House of Assembly members informed me that they plan to travel to London next week and then return directly to Abuja for further action. They mentioned they intend to visit the Attorney General of the Federation first to lodge a complaint; they didn’t anticipate a “placard” protest. I told them, ‘That’s fine; what matters most is that we agree on a unified date for action.’

“This is not the time for hesitation. If we genuinely believe that @MaziNnamdiKanu deserves freedom, then every leader of conscience must act, now, not later,” he wrote.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since his re-arrest in 2021 following his controversial extradition from Kenya. Despite multiple court rulings ordering his release, including a Court of Appeal judgment in October 2022 that discharged and acquitted him of all charges on the grounds that his extradition violated international law, the Federal Government has yet to comply.

The IPOB leader faces charges related to terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement before the Federal High Court in Abuja, all of which he has consistently denied.