Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has joined the growing number of voices calling for the release of the detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his controversial extradition from Kenya in 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The renewed call follows a challenge issued by Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), urging top figures including Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and Atiku to lead a peaceful march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s freedom.
Sowore, in an Instagram post, criticised South-East leaders for what he described as “mere rhetoric,” urging them to take concrete action instead of “empty noise.”
Atiku Condemns Prolonged Detention
In a statement shared on Thursday via his social media handles, Atiku described Kanu’s continued detention despite multiple court rulings granting him bail as “an open sore on the nation’s conscience.”
“The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains an open sore on our nation’s conscience and a stain on our belief in the rule of law,” Atiku wrote.
“Defying court orders that granted him bail is an abuse of power and an assault on justice. I fully support Yele Sowore’s call for Kanu’s immediate release or due prosecution.”
The former vice president stressed that ignoring court orders undermines democracy and weakens the nation’s legal institutions.
“We fail as patriots if we allow Kanu’s case to fester as another unhealed wound in this country,” he added.
Rising Pressure on the Federal Government
Atiku’s remarks have added weight to the growing nationwide demand for justice, as more Nigerians call on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to uphold the rule of law and resolve Kanu’s case in line with judicial directives.
Many citizens have hailed Atiku’s intervention as a bold step toward defending human rights and ensuring accountability within Nigeria’s justice system.