‎Sowore Vows To Lead #FreeNnamdiKanuNow Protest At Aso Rock Villa Amid Legal Challenges

Omoyele Sowore, the organizer of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, has reaffirmed his intention to lead a demonstration to the Aso Rock Villa on Monday, October 20, demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

‎Sowore made this statement on Friday, October 17, following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that denied the Nigeria Police Force’s request to halt the planned protest. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had previously directed police lawyers to file an ex parte motion aimed at obstructing Sowore’s demonstration. However, the court ruled in favor of Sowore, stating that the motion could not be granted without hearing Sowore’s side of the argument. Judge Mohammed Umar instructed the police to properly notify Sowore of the application and postponed the hearing until Tuesday, October 21.

‎In response to the court’s decision, Sowore praised it as a significant victory for civil liberties and confirmed that the protest would proceed as scheduled. On his X account, he expressed concern over what he described as ongoing state suppression, noting that the police’s legal maneuvering was an attempt to stifle public dissent.

‎“The court’s decision to adjourn the case to Tuesday means that our protest on Monday is free from any legal constraints,” he stated, emphasizing that the demonstration would highlight Kanu’s prolonged detention and declining health.

‎Reflecting on historical injustices, Sowore drew a parallel between Kanu’s circumstances and the events surrounding the June 12, 1993 presidential election, a time when the military regime abused the judiciary to silence dissent and delay justice. “I remember how the system weaponized the judiciary to deceive the public and prolong injustice,” he recalled, referencing the tragic fate of MKO Abiola, who was ultimately killed just before his expected release.

‎Sowore suggested that similar tactics of manipulation and legal abuse are currently being employed against Nnamdi Kanu. “The Nnamdi Kanu I saw in court on October 16 is gravely ill. We must act quickly to rescue him from the clutches of a ruthless Nigerian elite,” he asserted.