Igbo clerics condemn Nigerian government over Nnamdi Kanu’s imprisonment and the deadly Kwara attacks, urging urgent protection for civilians

The Concerned Igbo Ministers’ Commission has condemned the Nigerian government for jailing Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu while failing to prevent deadly attacks in Kwara State that have claimed over 170 lives.

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In a statement on Friday, President of the commission, Rev. Tony Uzor, lamented that Kanu was imprisoned for warning against the spread of religious extremism into southern Nigeria, while Islamist militants continue to perpetrate mass killings largely unchallenged.

“Words are treated as deadlier than weapons, and warnings are punished more harshly than mass murder,” Uzor said, highlighting the perceived disparity in the government’s response to Kanu and armed groups responsible for widespread violence.

The clerics recalled that Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja for inciting violence through broadcasts and calls for Biafran independence.

The commission argued that Kanu’s warnings about extremist incursions in Yorubaland have proven prescient.

“The dead are absorbed into statistics and forgotten,” the statement added, referencing the recent attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kwara State, where gunmen executed residents at close range, burned homes, and left mass graves.

Uzor and the Igbo clerics faulted the government for prioritising the stability of the state over the sanctity of life, saying pre-emptive action against militants has been inadequate compared to the swift response against IPOB activities.

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The Concerned Igbo Ministers’ Commission called for a reassessment of national security strategies, urging the government to protect civilians and ensure justice for victims of terrorism while upholding the rights of those who voice warnings about impending threats.