I am not a fan of Nnamdi Kanu for obvious reasons, but I also do not support injustice or unfair treatment of anyone. If he has violated Nigerian laws, he should be tried and punished accordingly. However, as it stands, his continued detention appears to be driven by vested interests with ulterior motives rather than the rule of law.

Regardless of personal sentiments toward him, the legal reality remains clear: a memorandum from the Chief Judge cannot override a valid and subsisting court order. If there is dissatisfaction with a ruling, the proper recourse is to file an appeal in the appellate court, not to undermine judicial authority. It is both legally unsound and an insult to both the legal profession and the integrity of the judiciary for such a fundamental principle to even be debated within the judiciary.

If Justice Binta Nyako has recused herself from the case and her recusal stands as an order, she cannot preside over it again unless directed by the appellate court. The principle is simple – once a judge has lost the confidence of an accused person, the credibility of the trial is compromised. When a defendant openly declares in court that a judge is biased, the matter transcends legal technicalities and becomes a crisis of justice itself.

Justice Binta Nyako must ask herself: Is she truly administering justice, or merely executing a political directive? A courtroom should be a bastion of the law, not a battlefield for government interests. If Nnamdi Kanu believes she is compromised, why is she still insistent on handling his case? Judicial impartiality is non-negotiable – justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. What we see instead is a system bent on silencing a man rather than affording him a fair trial.

This is bigger than Nnamdi Kanu; it is about the credibility of the Nigerian judiciary. When people lose faith in the courts, what remains of justice? If the government genuinely believes in the rule of law, it should either ensure a fair and transparent trial or release him and pursue peace through dialogue.

Beyond Kanu’s case, justice should not be selective. The same energy should be directed at all criminals and financiers of armed conflicts across the country, whether in the North or South. Justice must be blind, and no one should be above the law. A corrupt system ultimately serves no one – not even those who currently benefit from its decay.

*Oyebanji, an educator and public affairs analyst, writes from Modakeke, Osun State. He can be reached at oyebanjijohn00@gmail.com.