Sowore Demands Release of Nnamdi Kanu, Detained Protesters

Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), on Tuesday, called for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu, who faces treasonable felony charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, was re-arrested in June 2022, nearly four years after fleeing the country following a military raid on his residence in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia, Abia State, in September 2017.

Sowore, participating in the October 1 nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance, tagged #FearlessInOctober in Lagos, argued that Kanu is being persecuted by the Nigerian government for advocating the secession of his people from Nigeria.

The human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of protesters detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August, as well as those arrested during the #EndSARS movement since 2020.

Sowore criticized Nigerian leaders, stating they have deliberately made life unbearable for the populace. He remarked: “They have made life miserable for our people deliberately. They are looters in whatever sector they are. Our own independence starts now; because the independence we got in 1960, they struggled for it. We are struggling for a new independence.”

Sowore emphasized that the revolution started in 2019 with the #RevolutionNow movement, as he believes it is the only path to saving the country.

“Part of what we are asking them is to release everybody that has been detained in Kaduna, in Abuja, in Katsina, in Kano today. The federal government must release them today. If by the end of the day today, they don’t release all the detained #EndBadGovernance protesters and some of #EndSARS people in 2020, we will disclose the next line of action.”

He continued: “We are working together for the release. Part of the reason why we are protesting is to ensure everybody that is in detention illegally, who are being charged with false criminal offenses, including treason which carries a death penalty must be released immediately and thus extend to Nnamdi Kanu who we believed is thus persecuted by the Nigerian state because he has expressed the desire of his people to secede from Nigeria. They have the right to either stay or leave Nigeria. Our preference is that we will not completely prevent anybody from either staying or being in Nigeria.”

Reflecting on Nigeria’s independence, Sowore argued that the country has yet to achieve true freedom, calling on citizens to take action for real independence.

“We have called on Nigerians to exercise real independence because the Independence that was granted to Nigerians in 1960 has become a burden to the Nigeria citizens and part of the problem in 1960 is that we got flag independence, we did not get real independence, so we are transferred to white colonialists to internal colonialism.”

He concluded by encouraging Nigerians to begin a series of actions to secure true independence, stating: “We are very clear that this country needs a revolution. Nothing but revolution can liberate Nigerians from the shackles of people (oppression).”