Popular Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho, has called on the federal government to unconditionally release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Igboho made this known in a viral video on Tuesday, a day after Kanu’s trial resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The IPOB leader faced a trial before the High Court on Monday 26 February 2024, for the first time after the Supreme Court ruling on December 15, 2023.

In the video, Igboho said, “Release Nnamdi Kanu. Stop politics. This guy didn’t do anything. Today is February 27, 2024. Release him, let him go, and stay with his family. 

“This guy just fights for his people in the Southeast like me that I’m fighting for my people in Yorubaland. Release him, let him go. Stop these politics games. Release Kanu, let him go home, please release him.”

Here are three major takeaways from what Igboho said:

1. Release Nnadmi Kanu

Igboho urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to release Kanu as he started with “Release Nnamdi Kanu” in a 23-second video. Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021. His lawyers said he was captured in Kenya and bundled to Nigeria in what was called an extraordinary rendition. 

Despite rulings and pronouncements from the appellate court and the apex court that condemned the violation of local international law by the government in bringing him to the country, the IPOB leader has not regained freedom for close to three years.

2. Don’t play politics with Nnamdi Kanu’s predicament

The Yoruba nation agitator also said “Stop politics…Stop these politics games (sic).” This testified to the fact that some politicians may be using Kanu’s predicament to play politics. Several times, the Kanu-led group has alleged that some prominent politicians in the Southeast were using Kanu’s case to bargain political matters with the federal government in Abuja, especially during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

3. Nnamdi Kanu’s self-determination agitation

According to Igboho, “This guy just fights for his people in the Southeast like me that I’m fighting for my people in Yorubaland.” With this statement, Igboho pointed out that Kanu’s cause is defending the people of the South-East region from oppression, and insecurity from killer Fulani herdsmen, and demanding self-determination if the cases are not addressed.

This was the same issue Igboho clamoured about when he started his campaign in 2021 when Fulani herdsmen were perpetrating evil in the South-West region.

Justice Binta Nyako adjourned Nnamdi Kanu’s case to March 19.