A civil activist and philanthropist, Princess Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru of Ogun State, Nigeria, has called for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has spent ten years in detention without conviction.
In a statement on Monday, she described his prolonged incarceration as a serious violation of fundamental human rights and a failure of Nigeria’s justice system.
Kanu, a Nigerian-born British citizen, was arrested in 2015, accused, pleaded not guilty, and has never been convicted. Despite that, he remains confined, a situation that human rights advocates describe as one of the longest and most troubling pre-trial detentions in Nigeria’s history.
The statement highlights the wider societal impact of Kanu’s detention, linking it to the struggles faced by Nigerians across the country.
Explaining the urgency of the call for his release, Princess Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru said that “as we call for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate and unconditional freedom, my heart goes out to millions of Nigerians, across tribal lines, generations, and economic classes, from Borno to Kwara to Lagos, crying out for help against armed violence, forced demolitions, unlawful detentions, untimely deaths, and the persistent scarcity of life’s most basic necessities.”
“Beyond politics, every life matters. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s health and spirit are at grave risk, after ten years behind bars without a proven crime. That is the very definition of injustice,” she said.
The statement also emphasized that the call was urgent and warned that the nation’s conscience was at stake.
It added that “this declaration is an urgent proclamation. We will count every second, every hour, every day, and continue to galvanize until Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is restored to his rightful freedom”.
“Nigeria now stands at a crossroads, where history will judge the true motives of those in power. The eyes of the world are watching, and the conscience of the nation is restless. The promise of our democracy depends not only on acts of courage within the halls of power but also on the bold, united actions of citizens,” she said.
According to the statement, Kanu has long advocated for the peaceful recognition and protection of the political, economic, and cultural rights of citizens in Nigeria’s southeast.
“He has never been convicted of any crime, nor accused of any act of violence. His prolonged detention, despite serious legal questions surrounding his rendition and years of unbroken pre-trial custody, remains a striking violation of due process and a challenge to Nigeria’s constitutional and humanitarian commitments,” the statement said.
