No Pleas, No Pardon: Lawyer Ejimakor Explains Why Nnamdi Kanu Stands Alone

The lawyer representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has emphasized that his client’s release should be rooted in legal principles, not acts of clemency or pardon.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s legal counsel, urged individuals appealing for his release to stop, asserting that Kanu has committed no crime. This statement, titled “Upholding the Rule of Law Is More Important to Me Than Anything Else,” was released on Saturday.

Kanu expressed gratitude for the widespread support but insisted that both a Federal High Court in Nigeria and international tribunals have declared his detention unlawful. He maintained that the government must comply with these rulings and release him unconditionally.

“The release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should not be seen as an act of mercy, pardon, executive clemency, or amnesty. It is simply a matter of complying with the existing Federal High Court judgment that deemed his detention unconstitutional, as well as international tribunal rulings that have declared his detention unlawful,” the statement read.

Ejimakor relayed Kanu’s firm stance that no clemency is needed because no crime was committed.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu insists that no one should plead or beg on his behalf, as he has committed no offence. The core issue here is self-determination, which has been unjustly criminalized. However, self-determination is an inalienable right protected under Nigerian law, as well as by the United Nations, the United Kingdom, and Kenyan legal frameworks.

“Framing his release as an act of mercy or clemency wrongly suggests guilt and undermines the legal foundations of his case. His release should be a straightforward enforcement of the rule of law,” Ejimakor stated.

The lawyer also warned that calls for pardon could be misinterpreted as an admission of guilt, potentially encouraging the government and judiciary to continue what he described as unlawful prosecution.

“While the intentions behind these pleas are sincere, they risk giving the executive and judiciary a false justification to persist in violating the rule of law by continuing this unconstitutional prosecution,” he added.

Kanu has instead called on his supporters to follow the lead of groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze, the World Igbo Congress, members of the National Assembly, and international organizations, all of whom assert that he has committed no crime and should be released immediately.

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