Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has criticized the Nigerian government’s decision to keep the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in prison, calling it a mistake. In a recent interview with Noble Nigeria, Soyinka emphasized that Kanu had the right to pursue his cause for a separate nation of Biafra as “he was never accused of physically bombing any place or killing anyone.”
Kanu was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria from Nairobi in June 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration with the help of the Kenyan government. Since then, the separatist leader has been detained by the Department of State Services and is facing charges related to broadcasts alleged to have been made in furtherance of terrorism.
However, Soyinka described the Nigerian government’s actions as “kidnapping.” He said, “It is a mistake keeping Nnamdi Kanu in prison, I believe. In fact, they kidnapped him.”
He continued, “His language was inciteful, yes, no question about that. But you don’t arrest, you don’t kidnap people. Buhari had an obsession with kidnapping people. That seemed to be his trademark. It is like he couldn’t fulfil himself unless he’s put somebody in a crate and brought them back.”
Soyinka added, “I think that politically speaking, if they have any real charges against him, well, since he is in their hands, they should try him. All these technical postponements, delays, and avoiding the basic issues, for me, is counter-productive.”