Ejimakor: Kanu, IPOB Members Should Not Be Jailed Over Biafra Agitation

Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, has called for the release of people he described as prisoners of conscience ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Ejimakor made the demand while arguing that the continued imprisonment of Kanu and other alleged IPOB members for their separatist position could further deepen political and social divisions in the country.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the lawyer said the Nigerian government should address the grievances driving calls for Biafra rather than relying on prosecution and imprisonment.

He maintained that advocating for self-determination, regardless of how controversial or forceful the expression may be, should not automatically amount to terrorism or treason.

According to Ejimakor, democratic societies should have room for political opinions that are unpopular or challenging to the existing order.

He warned that punishing people for expressing separatist aspirations could create greater resentment and make efforts at national reconciliation more difficult.

The lawyer also pointed to examples of countries and territories where demands for self-determination had resulted in political processes, including referendums.

Ejimakor argued that Nigeria should similarly consider political engagement and dialogue as a way of addressing the Biafra question.

He further criticised what he described as the criminalisation of political dissent, saying the government should focus on resolving the grievances behind the agitation.

The lawyer consequently urged the Federal Government to consider freeing what he called prisoners of conscience before the 2027 elections, arguing that dialogue and a political settlement would offer a more sustainable path to peace.