The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Iwuanyanwu, has alleged that some powerful politicians and businessmen in the South-East are secretly backing the continued detention of pro-Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, out of fear that his return could spell the end of their political relevance.

Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Iwuanyanwu claimed that these forces are unsettled by the “organic” love Kanu commands across the region.

“There are some top businessmen who are involved in businesses in Abuja, oil and all that,” Iwuanyanwu said on the current affairs programme.

“There are some top politicians who are of the view – and which is correct – that if Nnamdi Kanu comes today, there are people whose political career will come to an end permanently without him saying a word. Nnamdi Kanu has been loved by the people,” he added.

According to the ZLP chairman, the continued detention of the IPOB leader is not merely a security decision but also a reflection of deep political fears within the South-East elite who view Kanu’s popularity as a threat to their hold on the people.

His comments amid demands for the release of Nnamdi Kanu from the custody of the State Security Services (DSS).

On Monday, human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, cautioned that the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government’s continued refusal to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, could further intensify public agitation across the country.

Sowore gave the warning during the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, where demonstrators have been demanding the immediate release of the separatist leader who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2021.

“Today will be different and nobody can stop this spirit and this is to ensure that we bring our brother home,” Sowore had said while speaking to NewsCentral TV.

He added that the police and other security operatives repeatedly used teargas to disperse the demonstrators at different locations in Abuja, but they continued to regroup.

“They teargassed us, we relocated to Utako, they teargassed us, we relocated to Apo, Apo has the biggest so far and that is to show to you that very soon, this will get out of hand if they don’t do something about releasing Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.

Reiterating that the protesters were not inciting violence, Sowore stressed that their action was a call for justice and fairness.

“We are not threatening violence, we are just saying that in this country we all deserve a right to be citizens. If you want us to be citizens in this country, if you don’t want Nigerians to be citizens in their own country, let those who want to go, go,” he stated.

The ongoing demonstrations in Abuja are part of renewed calls by activists and supporters demanding that the federal government comply with previous court rulings ordering Kanu’s release.

Earlier, Sowore accused Nigerian security operatives of launching an unprovoked attack and shooting live bullets at the #FreeNnamdiKanu peaceful protesters in Abuja.

Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, described the government’s continued detention of Kanu as “a sham designed to obstruct justice”.

He urged the Nigerian government to present its evidence before the court instead of resorting to repression.

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