Ohanaeze Youths Demand Nnamdi Kanu’s Release, Warn Tinubu Ahead of 2027 Elections

Fresh pressure has mounted on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Ohanaeze Youth Council renewed calls for the unconditional release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

The group described Kanu’s continued detention and prosecution as unconstitutional, arguing that both local and international legal principles were violated in the process that led to his arrest and return to Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Umuahia, the National President of the OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said Kanu’s “rendition, detention and ongoing prosecution” lacked legitimacy and should be discontinued immediately in the interest of justice and national reconciliation.

The youth body alleged that the matter, which started during the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has continued despite growing legal and diplomatic concerns surrounding the circumstances of Kanu’s arrest.

According to Igboayaka, President Tinubu now has an opportunity to take a different path by ending the prosecution and pursuing reconciliation with the South-East region.

The OYC leader compared Kanu’s extradition from Kenya to the famous 1984 “Dikko affair,” when Nigerian operatives allegedly attempted to abduct former minister Umaru Dikko from the United Kingdom, triggering a diplomatic standoff with British authorities.

He argued that international standards and diplomatic rules were enforced in the Dikko case and insisted that similar legal accountability should apply to Kanu’s situation.

The organization also warned that the continued detention of the IPOB leader could carry political consequences ahead of the 2027 general election, especially in the South-East.

Igboayaka said it would be difficult for political leaders to expect strong electoral support from many voters in the region while Kanu remains in custody, suggesting that the issue may shape future political alignments.

Although the group stopped short of endorsing any political movement or candidate, it maintained that releasing Kanu could help reduce regional tension, rebuild trust and strengthen national unity.

The OYC further argued that prolonged detention without a political or legal resolution risks damaging public confidence in democratic institutions and constitutional governance in Nigeria.