By Jane Okeke
Most Rev Dr Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha has appealed for calm across Abia State and the country following the Federal High Court judgment that sentenced Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment on Thursday, 20 November 2025.
Reacting to the ruling, Onuoha said he understood the emotions the verdict had generated but urged citizens to avoid any response that could worsen tensions or trigger unrest.
“I appeal with ndi Abia, and indeed all Nigerians who feel aggrieved by the Federal High Court judgment on Thursday, November 20th, sentencing Mazi Nnamdi Kalu to life imprisonment, to please approach this matter with calm and caution,” he said.
He warned that the country was already on edge and insisted that only peaceful engagements and compromise could prevent further deterioration.
“Nigeria sits at a precarious precipice, and I believe dialogue, compromise, and a peaceful approach will help us ‘pinch this boil, to relieve the pain on our buttocks’. Please let us not take the law into our hands, but rather heed the recommendations by different leaders and strongholds we have to ensure lasting peace,” the Archbishop added.
Onuoha noted that the ruling was not the end of the road, stressing that there were still legal and political pathways to challenge what he described as an injustice.
“There are several remedial options still available to address this legal charade and the glaring injustice that has become the bane of our demographic. The law to its full extent, and public interest solutions engineered by the executive, are approaches that can be explored and adopted,” he said.
He also cautioned that disorder or violent reactions could be exploited by criminal groups to escalate insecurity. “In the midst of challenges of this nature, there are bad elements who will take advantage of the collective pain to execute their ulterior motives. So let us tread with calculated caution,” he warned.
Onuoha concluded with a message of hope, urging Nigerians to trust in peaceful processes. “No matter how long the dry season takes, a river will never forget where it used to pass,” he said, before quoting scripture: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
