Dumebi Kachikwu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu can spell more trouble for the south-east.

Speaking in an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo, host of 90Minutes Africa, Kachikwu said those who are advocating a political solution have not considered the implications.

The ADC candidate also advised the federal government to allow the judicial process to conclude without interference.

“The thousands of people who have lost family members in the crisis in the south-east need to hear a competent court of law pronounce Nnamdi Kanu as innocent of the crimes for them not to hold it against him,” Kachikwu said.

“These people are potential security threats if not handled carefully. We need to understand that they are victims of the Nigerian crisis.

“So, if we take any political solution to this problem, these people will be there with a lot of angst and hatred festering in them because they have lost fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters.

“We need to actually let the courts take charge of the process, and they are doing a good job at that. So, the government of Nigeria must stop interfering in the process and respect the independence of the judiciary.

“We must learn to obey court orders in Nigeria. The government ought to have released Nnamdi Kanu while they are preparing to appeal the order for his release. They are making the situation worse by keeping him locked up when the high court has ordered his release.”

In October 2022, the court of appeal in Abuja struck out the terrorism charge filed against Kanu. The appellate court held that Kanu’s extradition from Kenya to Nigeria to stand trial was illegal.

However, the federal government later filed an appeal before the supreme court challenging the judgement — and subsequently filed an amended charge before a federal high court.

The federal government had also filed a motion to stay the execution of the appellate court order and it was granted.