Human Rights Lawyer Maxwell Opara Defends Participation in “Free Nnamdi Kanu” Protest
Human rights lawyer, Maxwell Opara, has defended his decision to participate in the “Free Nnamdi Kanu” protest, maintaining that lawyers have a constitutional right to demonstrate against government disobedience to court orders.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television, Opara said there is no law in Nigeria that prohibits legal practitioners from taking part in peaceful protests, especially when fundamental human rights are being violated.
“Well, I have been, as a researcher, going through the laws to see where it is written that a lawyer cannot protest or participate in a protest against injustice or when the right of his client is being violated. I am yet to see such a law,” Opara said.
He argued that even if such a law existed, it would be invalid because it contradicts the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, which supersedes all other laws.
Opara clarified that the ongoing demonstrations are not intended to challenge court judgments but to demand the federal government’s compliance with existing rulings that favor the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are not protesting to ask the court to give us judgments. We never protested against any issue that has to do with the judiciary. We are asking the executive to free Nnamdi Kanu because its actions amount to discrimination,” he said.
The lawyer noted that multiple courts — including three Nigerian courts and two foreign courts — have delivered judgments in Kanu’s favor, with some awarding damages of N1 billion and N500 million against the federal government.
Despite these rulings, Opara said the government has failed to comply.
“Now, let me start from the judicial angle. Courts, five courts, two foreign courts and three local courts has given judgment in favor of Nnamdi Kanu against federal government. One even awarded N1 billion Naira in his favor against federal government.
“The other one awarded N500million in his favour against the federal government. Court of appeal, the panel, they discharged Nnamdi Kanu and federal government refused to comply with that law until after close to two weeks. They now remember that they can file a stay of execution.”
He criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what he described as selective justice, alleging that while the government pardons convicted criminals and negotiates with bandits, it continues to detain Kanu in defiance of court orders.
“The president now, instead of looking at all these issues, rather what the president did is this. He now directed the police and the army to go to the north to go and negotiate and discuss with the bandits and all of us saw it. Those who are committing the acts. Secondly, the president now come back and see all those people.
“Court said, you are a murderer. You should die by hanging. You are a drug addict. You should serve sentence. President came back and pardoned all of them and said that when you talk about that, that of Nnamdi Kanu, he said that that one is in court. Now, Mariam Sanda, her own matter is still pending at the Supreme Court.
“The president did not even ask the lady, go and withdraw your appeal at the Supreme Court before I consider you. Simply because she’s from the north. Now, now, now, when you see all these things, you see that this is a discrimination against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the Igbos, which is against section 42 of the constitution, which say that you don’t discriminate against anybody because of his religion, sex, tribe or whatever,” Opara stated.
He maintained that Kanu’s continued detention, despite multiple favorable judgments, highlights the federal government’s disregard for the rule of law and the principle of equality before the law.
