Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB members don’t deserve jail over Biafra agitation – Ejimakor

Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stated that the agitator and his followers do not deserve jail time for demanding Biafra. In a statement titled, 'Nobody deserves jail for demanding Biafra in strong words', Ejimakor argues that imprisoning Kanu and other IPOB members for advocating self-determination sets a dangerous precedent against free political expression.

He emphasizes that democracy should address the underlying grievances driving the call for self-determination rather than using law enforcement and judicial machinery to silence it. Ejimakor asserts that demanding a separate state and advocating for Biafra is a fundamental human right recognized under international laws, and merely expressing controversial or unpopular political stances does not equate to terrorism or treason.

He warns that imprisoning people for their speech or stance will only deepen divisions, fuel resentment, and criminalize dissent. Ejimakor recalls that some countries, such as Scotland and Catalonia, were born from strong agitations similar to Kanu's, and free speech includes the right to express unpopular political stances. He charges the Nigerian government to free all prisoners of conscience before the 2027 elections, arguing that nations have been born from demands louder than Kanu's, and strong language in that struggle is protected expression, not an offense.