The presidency says illegal protests, threats, and inflammatory rhetoric will not make President Bola Tinubu release the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, accusing protesters of undermining the rule of law.

“Protests, threats, attempts at mob actions, and inflammatory rhetoric do not aid the judicial process,” presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare said in a statement on Monday. “Instead, they hinder it, creating unnecessary tension and undermining the rule of law.”

Omoyele Sowore and several other Nigerians took to the streets to demand Mr Kanu’s immediate release, describing his continued detention as unconstitutional.

But Mr Dare said matters of justice are resolved in courts, not on the streets or through bravado and hysteria, noting Mr Sowore’s “courting of public sympathy to interfere with judicial proceedings is outdated and counterproductive in a modern democracy.”

While noting that Mr Kanu’s case predates Mr Tinubu’s administration, Mr Dare stated that protesters could not have staged a similar protest in Europe or America.

“Sowore and his team can never try these stunts in Europe or America. You cannot employ protest and civil unrest to demand the release of someone accused of terrorism and whose case is still in court. Not even in America.

“It is important to note that the case of Nnamdi Kanu predates President Tinubu’s administration. The matter remains firmly within the jurisdiction of the judiciary, where it is following due process in accordance with the law. This administration respects the independence of the courts and will not interfere in ongoing legal proceedings,” he stated.

Mr Dare explained that freedom and democracy have their limits, saying testing these limits would rather invite the full application of the laws as clearly stated.

He also urged protesters to allow the judiciary to do its work without interference, adding that Mr Tinubu is committed to upholding the rule of law

“The judiciary should be left alone to do its work without interference. President Tinubu remains committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice is served fairly and transparently, Mr Dare stated.

Mr Kanu has remained in detention facing a terrorism trial since he was abducted from Kenya and returned to Nigeria by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.