Nigeria’s Presidency, Sowore in Sharp Face-Off Over Planned March for Nnamdi Kanu

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Nigeria’s Presidency, Sowore in Sharp Face-Off Over Planned March for Nnamdi Kanu

A fresh political storm is brewing in Nigeria as the Presidency and activist Omoyele Sowore clash over a proposed march demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Sowore had earlier announced that the protest, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, would take place on October 20 at 7 a.m., with protesters expected to march to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The protest, he said, would push for Kanu’s freedom after years in detention.

But the Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, strongly condemned the plan.

Onanuga, in a post on his official X handle, accused Sowore of trying to incite unrest, calling him “an anarchist pretending to be a rights activist.”

“You know Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, yet you are mobilising to cause a breakdown of law and order,” Onanuga wrote. “Is this your idea of revolution—where the rule of law is abandoned for street chaos?”

Onanuga also took aim at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing his support for the protest as “opportunistic and irresponsible.”

“As a former leader, Atiku should know that matters of justice are resolved in court, not through mob action,” he said.

Defending the government’s handling of Kanu’s case, Onanuga argued that while the judicial process may appear slow, it remains guided by the principles of due process.

“The wheel of justice can be slow, sometimes delayed by Kanu’s own legal team, but justice will eventually prevail,” he added.

Nnamdi Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021, following his controversial arrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria.

He faces multiple charges, including treasonable felony and terrorism, for his role in leading IPOB, a group advocating for the secession of Biafra from Nigeria.

His prolonged detention has continued to stir debate and regional tension, particularly across the South-East, where his supporters insist he is being politically persecuted.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate and pro-democracy campaigner, has frequently criticized the Nigerian government over issues of human rights and governance.

His planned protest has reopened national conversation on justice, free speech, and the limits of state power in Africa’s largest democracy.

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Chioma Ndukwu

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