Human rights lawyer Maxwell Opara has suggested a possible solution to ending the persistent sit-at-home orders in Nigeria’s South-East.

In an interview on Arise Television on Friday, Opara stated that the practice could be curtailed if the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court ruling that sentenced pro-Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, sentenced Kanu on Thursday after convicting him on all seven counts of terrorism filed against him.

Opara argued: “The best way to resolve this issue is for the Appeal Court to set aside this most embarrassing judgment and allow Nnamdi Kanu to continue with his agitation. The government could have invited him for dialogue to address the concerns behind his movement.”

He added: “Look at the judgment yesterday, where they are equating Nnamdi Kanu’s agitation to Boko Haram. Instead of convicting and sentencing him to life imprisonment, the authorities could have engaged him, asked what the issues are, and addressed them. This way, the agitation would naturally die out.”

Opara’s comments come amid growing tension in the South-East, where sit-at-home orders disrupt economic and social activities.