October 20, (THEWILL) — By 7.00.am on Monday (today) a crowd had gathered somewhere in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to protest the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Organised by human rights activist and Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Omoyele Sowore, the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration is specifically aimed at demanding the unconditional release of Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, since 2021.
Sowore has said that he decided to join other Nigerians and groups to press for Kanu’s release following reports that he is critically ill in detention and to avert a potentially dangerous situation.
The proscribed IPOB leader is currently facing trial at the Federal High Court before Justice James Omotosho. He was initially arrested in 2015 and granted bail in 2017. But he fled the country after a military operation, of which he was believed to be the prime target, was launched in his home town in Abia State.
Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in controversial circumstances and brought back to Nigeria in 2021. He has since been detained by the DSS on charges of terrorism and treasonable felony. Several human rights organisations have called for his release, citing prolonged detention, which seems to have severely affected his health and disregard for judicial orders, particularly on the part of the Federal Government, as reasons.
Even as the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies warn against a possible outbreak of violence and critics anticipate a demonstration of the scale and magnitude of the #EndSARs protest, Sowore, who is also a former presidential aspirant, has given the assurance that the planned protest in Abuja will be peaceful, he has reportedly asked the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, to protect the rights of the protesters ahead of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow march, warning that any use of excessive force or unlawful arrests will attract repercussions.
“We are calling on CP Dantawaye and every officer of the Nigeria Police Force to uphold their oath of allegiance to Nigerians, protect citizens and respect the inalienable right to peaceful assembly,” Sowore said.
Whatever happens next is left for anybody’s conjecture. But we believe it is high time the Bola Tinubu Administration paid more than a perfunctory attention to Nnamdi Kanu’s trial because of its underlying implications for national security, justice, peace and governance. This is exactly what Sowore and co-protesters aim to achieve.
Nonetheless, we expect the Police to respect the people’s right to protest. The Police owe allegiance to the people, after all.
