The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed his disapproval of pleas from prominent Igbo political figures, urging them to stop begging the Nigerian government for his release.

Kanu, who remains in detention despite a Federal High Court ruling declaring his detention unconstitutional, emphasized that his release is a matter of upholding the law, not an act of mercy.

In a statement issued by his Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu clarified that he did not authorize anyone to appeal on his behalf. “The matter of releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not an act of mercy, pardon, executive clemency or even amnesty,” the statement read. “Instead, it should be an act of simply complying with the subsisting Federal High Court judgment that declared his detention as unconstitutional.”

Kanu, who has long maintained that his detention stems from the criminalization of his right to self-determination, reiterated that he had committed no crime.

He also warned against the misinterpretation of calls for clemency, which could inadvertently legitimize his unlawful prosecution.

“The perverse and unlawful criminalisation of his exercise of this right should not unwittingly be encouraged through some misguided appeals for pardon, clemency or mercy,” the statement added.

Kanu’s statement further clarified that his supporters should stop begging for mercy and instead focus on urging authorities to respect the rule of law. “If any begging must be done, it should be directed to the Courts to conduct his cases and that of IPOB with the utmost impartiality,” the statement concluded.

The leader of IPOB thanked his supporters working towards peace and stability in Igboland, emphasizing the importance of upholding justice and law.