FENRAD urges Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu over health fears, calling on South-East leaders to act swiftly to prevent a possible humanitarian crisis

FENRAD, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, has called for urgent intervention in the case of detained IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, warning that his deteriorating health poses a humanitarian crisis.

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In a statement issued on Thursday, the civil rights organisation appealed to South-East governors and federal lawmakers from the region to make an urgent case to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Kanu’s release.

Executive Director Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor stressed that inaction could come at “enormous cost”, especially with Friday’s ruling on Kanu’s no-case submission in the terrorism trial brought by the federal government.

The group raised concerns that reports from Department of State Services custody suggest Kanu’s condition has worsened significantly.

“We cannot ignore the clear signs of medical neglect,” the statement read. “The Nigerian state owes it a duty—morally and constitutionally—to ensure that Mazi Kanu is not allowed to die in custody.”

FENRAD emphasised that every Nigerian citizen is entitled to protection under the law, regardless of ideology, insisting that Kanu’s right to life and health must be respected.

The group urged South-East leaders to set aside political divisions and press for Kanu’s release on medical and humanitarian grounds. It further reminded authorities of previous court orders granting him bail, which remain unimplemented.

Addressing President Tinubu directly, FENRAD said the case presented a “golden opportunity to demonstrate statesmanship” by directing the Attorney General and relevant authorities to review the legal process with a view to securing Kanu’s release.

“Releasing Kanu under strict legal conditions would not only de-escalate tensions in the South-East but also pave the way for inclusive dialogue and peace-building,” the organisation said.

The statement concluded with a warning to elected officials from the region not to remain silent.

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“Silence could be seen as complicity,” FENRAD noted, adding that genuine representation requires defending the rights and welfare of constituents in the face of systemic injustice.