NIGERIA, ABUJA – Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, met former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Thursday to discuss the prolonged detention of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore revealed the meeting on his verified Facebook page, saying Jonathan acknowledged “an urgent and compelling need” to resolve Kanu’s case “decisively and justly.” The former president reportedly promised to discuss the issue with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “as soon as possible.”
Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters and leader of the African Action Congress (AAC), said the dialogue focused on situational ethics, balancing national security with justice and fairness. “Kanu’s continued incarceration defies fairness and ignores precedents,” Sowore wrote.
He argued that Kanu, like other activists whose cases were politically driven, deserves release. “He took up the just cause of confronting marginalization,” Sowore stated. “Justice delayed in his case is justice denied to many Nigerians.”
Jonathan’s stance adds to a growing chorus calling for Kanu’s release. Others include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), and former Senator Shehu Sani. These voices, Sowore noted, cut across “political and regional divides.”
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Sowore appealed to leaders from the South East including Peter Obi, Governor Charles Soludo, and Ohaneze Ndigbo’s John Mbata to join the advocacy. “This is a moral duty, not a partisan cause,” he said.
Sowore reaffirmed his commitment to nonviolent mobilization. “I remain firmly committed to peacefully mobilizing for justice and freedom in this matter,” he concluded.
Political analysts say the meeting reflects increasing pressure on the federal government to resolve the sensitive issue ethically. Dr. Rose Ekanem, a public affairs commentator, said, “The moral weight of such appeals from national figures makes inaction politically costly.”
Truth Live News gathered that Nnamdi Kanu has been in custody since 2021, facing charges linked to his role in the Indigenous People of Biafra, a group banned by Nigerian authorities.
