Despite a reported court order and police advisory, Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has reiterated his call on Nigerians to participate in a nationwide protest demanding the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore reiterated his call on Monday morning in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, urging citizens to take to the streets in peaceful demonstration against what he described as continued injustice and disregard for court orders.
His call comes despite a recent court directive restricting protests and demonstrations around key government institutions and security installations within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The activist insisted that the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally guaranteed, stressing that Nigerians must not be intimidated by restrictions aimed at silencing dissent.
It is time for Nigerians to rise and demand justice. Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention, in defiance of court orders, is an affront to democracy and the rule of law. Peaceful protest is a legitimate tool for change,” Sowore wrote.
Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony. Several court rulings have ordered his release, but the Federal Government has yet to comply.
Sowore, known for his #RevolutionNow and #EndSARS activism, said the planned protest would not be about ethnicity or region, but about the collective demand for justice and respect for human rights in Nigeria.
Security agencies have yet to respond to the activist’s call, but authorities had earlier warned that any attempt to stage protests near sensitive areas in the FCT would be met with firm resistance.
Meanwhile, groups sympathetic to Kanu’s cause have welcomed Sowore’s statement, saying it reflects the growing frustration among Nigerians over the government’s handling of the IPOB leader’s case.
Follow us on all social media platforms @dailyquery for news and analyses around the globe.
