Presidency urges respect for rule of law as it reacts to Sowore’s planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, citing threats to public order.
The Presidency has responded to renewed calls for the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing such agitations as attempts to incite disorder and undermine the rule of law.
In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the Presidency criticised the growing momentum behind the campaign for Kanu’s release, warning that it could destabilize public order.
Onanuga, in a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, condemned Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, for mobilising a protest demanding Kanu’s freedom. He accused Sowore of using activism as a tool to provoke unrest in the country.
“You are nothing more than an anarchist masquerading as a rights activist. You know that Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, yet you want to cause a breakdown of law and order by mobilising for a protest. Is this your idea of revolution one that undermines the rule of law?” Onanuga stated.
His comments followed Sowore’s announcement of a nationwide protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, scheduled to hold on October 20, 2025, at 7 a.m. in Abuja. The protest, according to Sowore, aims to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader.
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The Presidency maintained that Kanu’s case remains before the court and urged Nigerians to allow the judicial process to run its course, rather than resorting to public demonstrations that could disrupt national peace.