Terrorism Not Part Of Charges Against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Says Lawyer

Constitution is supreme and any action inconsistent with it is void, no matter the motive.”

The human rights lawyer argued that Kanu’s activities fall within his constitutional rights. “Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, while Article 20 of the African Charter recognizes the right of peoples to self-determination,” she stated.

“Advocating for political reform or self-determination is not terrorism. It is protected speech.”

She also defended the public campaign by some activists calling for Kanu’s release, describing it as a legitimate demand for justice. “Every major democratic turning point in history began with freeing a conscience prisoner,” she said.

“Mandela’s release changed South Africa, Gandhi’s release reshaped India, and Martin Luther King’s release energized the civil rights movement. Justice for one political prisoner is justice for all.”

Okezie faulted the use of international examples of prolonged detentions to justify Kanu’s continued incarceration, saying those cited instances have been widely condemned by the international community. “Guantánamo Bay, Turkey, and Kashmir are not models of justice. The United Nations and European courts have repeatedly condemned such practices as politically motivated detentions,” she said.

She described the prolonged detention of Kanu despite court orders as a threat to democracy and judicial independence. “Obedience to court orders remains the cornerstone of democracy,” she said. “No government can claim to uphold the rule of law while selectively enforcing judgments.”

Okezie called on the Federal Government to comply with judicial rulings and release Kanu, emphasizing that Nigeria’s credibility before the international community depends on its respect for the rule of law.

“The government must demonstrate that no citizen is above or beneath the protection of the Constitution,” she said. “The continued detention of a man discharged by a competent court undermines the nation’s commitment to justice and equality.

“The law must remain sacred,” she said. “Nigeria cannot build a stable democracy by disregarding its own courts. Justice for one is justice for all.”