Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has mobilised his supporters across Nigeria for a nationwide protest demanding the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The protest, organised under the banner #FreeNnamdiKanuNow is taking place in major cities across Nigeria, with the main rally holding in Abuja.
It began at 7:00 a.m. on Monday with participants gathering peacefully at designated locations carrying placards, chanting songs, and demanding Kanu’s release.
Sowore made the announcement through his social media handles, stating that legal, medical, and media teams have been mobilised to support the demonstrators. He said the movement would be peaceful and coordinated to ensure protesters are protected and their rights respected.
However, the planned demonstration has been met with a court order restraining Sowore and other organisers from staging protests around key government institutions in the Federal Capital Territory, including the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and Force Headquarters. The order was issued by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Despite the restriction, Sowore vowed to proceed with the protest, accusing the government of suppressing citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly. He argued that it was unjust to detain Kanu indefinitely without fair trial while restricting public agitation for his release.
Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), have warned organisers and participants to avoid restricted areas, stating that security personnel have been deployed across the capital to maintain peace and order.
The planned protest has received support from several Igbo leaders, clerics, and human rights advocates, who describe it as a campaign for justice and fairness rather than an ethnic or political movement. They also called on the federal government to heed calls for Kanu’s release as a step toward national reconciliation.
However, some groups, such as the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), have criticised the planned protest, warning that it could threaten national unity and disrupt public peace.
The #FreeNnamdiKanu protest coincides with the fifth anniversary of the 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations, a coincidence many activists say highlights ongoing struggles for human rights and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
As protesters prepare to take to the streets, all eyes are on how security agencies and the government will handle the demonstrations and whether they will lead to renewed dialogue over Nnamdi Kanu’s detention and trial.
