Atiku Demands Immediate Release of Nnamdi Kanu, Backs Sowore’s Protest
By DAYO ADESULU
Calls Continued Detention a “Stain on Nigeria’s Rule of Law”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has joined calls for the immediate release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, describing his continued detention as “a stain on Nigeria’s belief in the rule of law.”
Atiku made the statement on Thursday via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, where he threw his full support behind the campaign launched by activist and 2023 African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, for Kanu’s release.
Atiku: “Defying Court Orders Is an Abuse of Power”
Atiku condemned the government’s defiance of multiple court orders granting Kanu bail, stressing that Nigeria’s image and justice system suffer when lawful rulings are ignored.
He wrote,
“The continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains an open sore on our nation’s conscience and a stain on our belief in the rule of law. Defying court orders that granted him bail is an abuse of power and an assault on justice.”
“I, therefore, lend my voice in full support of the campaign led by @YeleSowore for his immediate release or due prosecution. We fail as patriots if we allow Kanu’s case to fester as yet another wound this nation refuses to heal.”
Atiku’s intervention comes at a time when civil society groups, Southeast leaders, and rights advocates have renewed pressure on the Federal Government to obey the Court of Appeal’s 2022 ruling that discharged and acquitted Kanu.
Sowore Mobilises Nationwide March
Earlier this week, Omoyele Sowore announced October 20 as the date for a peaceful march to Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, calling on Nigerians to join the movement tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.
He also urged prominent Southeast figures — including Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Dr. Alex Otti, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Mr. Peter Obi — to show solidarity by joining the protest physically.
Sowore revealed that he had reached out to Atiku through his team, saying the former Vice President’s support would lend significant moral weight to the campaign.
“This is not the time for hesitation,” Sowore had said. “If we genuinely believe that @MaziNnamdiKanu deserves freedom, then every leader of conscience must act, now, not later.”
Background: Kanu’s Long Detention Despite Court Rulings
Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in 2021 following a controversial extradition from Kenya.
Despite several court orders — including an October 2022 Court of Appeal judgment that discharged and acquitted him — the Federal Government has refused to release him, citing ongoing terrorism and treason charges.
Kanu has consistently denied all allegations, insisting that his movement’s call for Biafran self-determination is peaceful and protected under international law.
Rising Calls for Justice and National Healing
Atiku’s public endorsement of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign marks one of the most high-profile political interventions on Kanu’s case since 2021.
Analysts say it could pressure the Tinubu administration to either comply with court rulings or seek a political resolution to the matter, as the detention continues to strain relations between Abuja and the Southeast.
Both Atiku and Sowore, though from different political backgrounds, now share a united front in demanding respect for judicial authority and human rights.
#FreeNnamdiKanuNow #AtikuAbubakar #OmoyeleSowore #RuleOfLaw #NigeriaPolitics #IPOB #HumanRights #JusticeForKanu
