Human rights lawyer, Dr. Maxwell Opara, has defended his participation in the recent Free Nnamdi Kanu protest in Abuja, insisting that no law prohibits lawyers from joining peaceful demonstrations, especially when the rights of their clients are being violated.
Speaking on ARISE News on Tuesday, Dr. Opara, who is a member of Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team, said the protest was not an attempt to influence the courts but to draw attention to what he described as the Federal Government’s selective application of justice.
“I have searched the law to find where it says a lawyer cannot protest against injustice or when the right of his client is being violated. I am yet to see such a law,” he said. “Even if such a law exists, it cannot override the Constitution, which supersedes any law that contradicts it.”
He stressed that the protesters were not asking the courts to deliver judgment in their favour, but rather calling out the executive arm of government for failing to obey multiple court rulings.
“Five courts—two foreign and three Nigerian—have given judgments in favour of Nnamdi Kanu against the Federal Government,” Opara explained. “One court awarded ₦1 billion, another ₦500 million, and the Court of Appeal discharged him. Yet the government refused to comply, instead filing for a stay of execution two weeks later.”
Opara accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of bias in its handling of justice, contrasting its approach to Kanu’s case with what he described as leniency shown to other groups and individuals.
“The president has directed the army and police to negotiate with bandits in the North. We have seen him pardon convicted individuals, including those convicted of murder and drug offences. But when it comes to Nnamdi Kanu, the government says the matter is in court,” he said.
He alleged that such inconsistency amounted to discrimination against the Igbo people, contrary to Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or gender.
“This is clear discrimination against Nnamdi Kanu and the Igbos,” he stated. “The president is supposed to be the father of all, not someone dividing the country by selective justice.”
When asked whether the protest was an admission of loss of faith in the judiciary, Opara gave a mixed response, saying he believes the courts can deliver justice but have sometimes failed to act independently.
“I can say yes and no,” he said. “We have seen judges deliver excellent judgments. But in Kanu’s case, the Court of Appeal gave a clear verdict, and the Federal Government still defied it. That was wrong.”
He reiterated that the demonstration was a legitimate expression of citizens’ rights.
“Protest simply means to complain,” he said. “It is a way to express what you have in mind so that the president can right the wrong.”
Dr. Opara maintained that Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention, despite court orders, remains an injustice and urged President Tinubu to use his constitutional powers to resolve the matter.
“The president has the power to direct the Attorney-General to discontinue any charge or to grant pardon,” he added. “We are only asking that justice be applied equally to all Nigerians.”
Boluwatife Enome
