Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed sympathy for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over his prolonged detention.
Emmanuel, in a Facebook post on Thursday, drew parallels between El-Rufai’s current legal troubles and the ordeals faced by his brother, who has spent years in detention and court proceedings over his separatist activities.
Addressing the former governor directly, Emmanuel said he was sorry for what El-Rufai was experiencing. He argued that the situation reflected what Nnamdi Kanu had faced and continued to face.
“Your Excellency, I’m truly sorry for what you’re experiencing,” Emmanuel wrote. “It mirrors what Mazi Nnamdi Kanu — my brother and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra — has gone through and is still going through.”
He suggested that greater support for Kanu in the past could have created a stronger culture of solidarity that might now benefit El-Rufai. “Had we rallied behind him when he spoke truth to power, perhaps the same solidarity would be here for you today,” he said.
Emmanuel described the situation as a reminder that alleged injustice should not be viewed through ethnic or religious lines. “This is a reminder that injustice has no tribe and no religion,” he wrote, calling for Nigerians to support one another regardless of political, ethnic or religious differences.
El-Rufai, a former Kaduna governor and minister, has faced legal proceedings over allegations relating to his tenure in Kaduna. The allegations include corruption and claims that he was involved in the alleged wiretapping of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. He has denied wrongdoing.
Emmanuel concluded his message by urging Nigerians to see the wider implications of cases involving political figures and activists. “What hurts you today, hurt others yesterday. May this be the moment we decide to stand together, for all,” he wrote.
His comments have added a political dimension to the debate surrounding El-Rufai’s detention, with the Kanu family using the former governor’s case to renew its call for broader solidarity over what it describes as politically motivated persecution.
