The Presidency has responded to growing calls for the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement released through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the Presidency described the renewed agitation for Kanu’s release as an attempt to incite disorder and undermine the rule of law.
Onanuga slams Sowore, labels him “anarchist masquerading as rights activist”
In a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Onanuga criticised Sahara Reporters’ publisher, Omoyele Sowore, for mobilising a protest to demand Kanu’s release. He accused Sowore of acting under the guise of activism to create chaos.
“You are nothing more than an anarchist masquerading as a rights activist. You very well know that Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, and you want to cause a breakdown of law and order by mobilising for a protest? Is this the kind of revolution you envisage for Nigeria, where the rule of law will be violated and your idea of justice would be the law of the jungle?” Onanuga wrote.
His reaction came shortly after Sowore announced plans for a nationwide protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, scheduled to take place on 20 October at 7 a.m. in Abuja. Sowore stated, “We now have a date for the historic #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest march to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, it is October 20 at 7AM!”
Atiku’s support draws criticism
Onanuga also criticised former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for supporting the protest.
“I am surprised that ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, who is always opportunistic, has supported the planned mob action. As a statesman, he should know better that matters of justice are not resolved on the streets but in the law court,” Onanuga stated.
He further argued that Kanu’s prolonged detention was a matter of legal process and not political will, stressing that due process must be followed.
“While the wheel of justice can sometimes be grindingly slow, partly caused by Kanu’s lawyers, Nnamdi Kanu will eventually get the justice he deserves for his alleged transgressions,” he added.
Background
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the secessionist group IPOB, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his controversial arrest and extradition from Kenya in 2021.
His continued detention has sparked widespread calls for his release, with rights groups, political figures, and regional leaders urging the government to comply with previous court rulings granting him bail.
However, the Federal Government has maintained that Kanu must face trial on charges of treason and terrorism, insisting that the case remains a matter of national security and judicial process.
The renewed exchanges between the Presidency, opposition figures, and activists have once again drawn attention to the divisive debate surrounding Kanu’s incarceration and its implications for Nigeria’s unity and rule of law.