Obi Faults FG, Calls For Dialogue, Political Solution After Nnamdi Kanu’s Conviction

Obi Faults FG, Calls For Dialogue, Political Solution After Nnamdi Kanu’s Conviction

The conviction of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has reignited political and social debate in Nigeria.

On November 22, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of terrorism-related charges, including inciting violence, belonging to a banned organisation, and threatening attacks on Nigerian and foreign targets. Justice James Omotosho ruled that Kanu’s broadcasts encouraged followers to attack security agents, destroy infrastructure, and target diplomatic missions.

The court emphasized that Nigeria remains an indivisible state and that self-determination cannot be pursued through violence.

In response, Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, strongly criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the case.

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Obi argued that Kanu’s arrest, detention, and eventual conviction represented a failure of leadership and a misreading of the underlying issues. He warned that the judgment could worsen national tensions at a time when Nigerians are already grappling with economic hardship, insecurity, and poor governance.

Obi insisted that dialogue and political solutions remain the only viable path to lasting peace. He maintained that Kanu should never have been arrested in the first place, stressing that coercion should only be considered when all avenues of reason have been exhausted.

According to Obi, reconciliation, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance are essential to healing divisions within the country. He called on the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected national leaders to intervene and pursue a political settlement rather than deepening hostility.

Following the judgment, Kanu was transferred by the Department of State Services (DSS) to the Nigerian Custodial Centre in Sokoto, in line with the court’s directive to move him away from Kuje prison. His legal team condemned the relocation, arguing that it placed him far from his family, supporters, and lawyers. They vowed to appeal the verdict, describing the life sentence as excessive.

Kanu’s case has long been one of Nigeria’s most contentious legal battles. First arrested in 2015 for treasonable felony and terrorism, he fled the country in 2017 after a military raid on his home during Operation Python Dance. He was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 under disputed circumstances and returned to Nigeria in what his lawyers described as an “extraordinary rendition.” His prosecution has since remained a flashpoint in national politics, polarising opinions across the South-East and beyond.

Obi’s intervention underscores the broader debate about Nigeria’s unity, governance, and the limits of state power in addressing separatist agitations. His call for dialogue reflects a growing sentiment among many Nigerians that political solutions, rather than punitive measures, are necessary to resolve deep-rooted grievances.

Whether the government heeds this call remains uncertain, but the conviction of Nnamdi Kanu has undeniably reopened questions about justice, reconciliation, and the future of Nigeria’s fragile national cohesion.