Human rights lawyer and political activist Dele Farotimi has declared that Nnamdi Kanu was right in his criticism of Nigeria, arguing that recent events have strengthened the detained IPOB leader’s claims about the country.
Farotimi made the remarks in a video posted on X on Wednesday. He said the Nigerian government had repeatedly failed to address the problems that fuel instability.
According to Farotimi, events in Nigeria have also exposed what he described as a troubling imbalance in the justice system.
He argued that authorities sometimes imprison people who raise difficult questions while criminals remain free. As a result, he said, the government risks pushing more people towards extreme positions.
“Nigeria has proven Nnamdi Kanu right at every point,” Farotimi said.
He added that he had no argument against the facts presented by Kanu during his campaign against the Nigerian state.
Farotimi went further, saying he was now convinced that Nnamdi Kanu had been “110% correct” in his assessment of Nigeria.
He also contrasted Kanu’s detention with the continued freedom of people accused of serious crimes.
“He was correct, but today he sits in a cell somewhere, and numerous murderers are walking around free,” Farotimi said.
For Farotimi, the situation amounts to a form of vindication for Kanu. He argued that the failure to respond to rational criticism could create conditions for more radical voices to emerge.
“If it does not listen to rational voices, it becomes inevitable that more extreme voices will be spoken in the language that Nigeria understands,” he said.
The comments are likely to fuel debate over Kanu’s long-running agitation, Nigeria’s response to separatist movements and the wider question of justice and governance.
Farotimi’s remarks also highlight the continuing political and legal controversy surrounding Nnamdi Kanu, whose case has remained a major subject of public debate.
