Sowore Sets October 20 For Peaceful March To Demand Kanu’s Release

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has fixed October 20 for a peaceful march to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, calling for the immediate release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu.

The protest, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. and will start from the Aso Rock area of the capital.

Sowore announced the date in a post on his verified X account, urging political leaders, traditional rulers, and citizens from the South-East region to join the peaceful rally. He said the time had come to move beyond statements and take action to ensure Kanu’s freedom after years in detention.

The activist called on prominent figures such as Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to take part in the protest. Sowore said he was ready to set aside political differences to unite with anyone committed to securing Kanu’s release.

Sowore, who also leads the #RevolutionNow movement, described the march as a lawful and nonviolent demonstration aimed at restoring faith in justice and human rights. He urged South-East leaders to back their calls for Kanu’s release with concrete action rather than rhetoric.

Support for the planned march has begun to grow. Nnamdi Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, has publicly agreed to join the rally, while Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has also declared readiness to participate.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021 after being extradited from Kenya under controversial circumstances. He faces terrorism and treasonable felony charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja, charges he has consistently denied.

In 2022, the Court of Appeal cleared Kanu of all allegations, ruling that his extradition violated international law. However, the Federal Government appealed the judgment and secured a stay of execution from the Supreme Court, allowing his detention to continue.

Despite repeated pleas from South-East governors, religious and traditional leaders, and international rights groups, Kanu remains in solitary confinement. His lawyers maintain that his prolonged detention defies court orders and breaches his fundamental rights.

Sowore’s upcoming protest has renewed pressure on the Nigerian Government to act on Kanu’s case — either by releasing him as ordered by the court or ensuring his trial proceeds swiftly and transparently. The march, he insists, will be peaceful but determined, reflecting growing frustration over the continued detention of the IPOB leader.