The influential Igbo apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, along with the Southeast Peaceful Youths Integration for Tinubu (SEPYIFT), has strongly advised against a planned nationwide protest for the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, scheduled for Monday, October 20. Both groups argued vehemently on Thursday that peaceful dialogue and ongoing negotiations represent the most effective and least destructive path to securing Kanu’s freedom, warning that the proposed demonstration risks disrupting those efforts.
In separate statements issued in Abakaliki by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and Pastor Damain Onu, the leader of SEPYIFT, the planned protest—reportedly backed by political figures like Omoyele Sowore and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—was described as “anti-Igbo” and a “calculated endeavour to incite revolutionary unrest” against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Isiguzoro accused certain politicians, particularly Atiku Abubakar and his associates, of attempting to clandestinely orchestrate a “revolution” under the guise of advocating for Kanu’s release, describing the effort as “dubious and deeply suspect.” He noted the apprehension among the Igbo people when individuals who have “previously positioned themselves against our interests” suddenly profess solidarity, warning that the community is “far too discerning to fall into the traps laid by the manipulative designs of Sowore and Atiku.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo stressed that prominent Igbo leaders, including the organization itself, Southeast governors, and Igbo ministers, are already committed to exploring “legitimate political solutions and established judicial processes.” Isiguzoro specifically pointed out that the planned protests would “disrupt ongoing judicial proceedings and undermine the political negotiations” currently being spearheaded by Hon. Obi Aguocha, an Abia lawmaker appointed by Nnamdi Kanu to advocate for his release.
The Deputy President General implored all Nigerians to distance themselves from the planned protests, riots, and acts of civil disobedience, expressing genuine concern that the demonstrations could escalate into violence, reminiscent of the devastation witnessed during the EndSARS protests, thereby endangering lives and property. He asserted that the planned unrest “does not serve the interests of the Igbo people, nor does it benefit Nnamdi Kanu.”
Furthermore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo affirmed its readiness to engage in “all necessary discussions with President Tinubu” regarding a constructive political resolution and expressed “unshakeable faith in the judicial process.” The group urged the Igbo community to support President Tinubu, citing the appointments of Senator Dave Umahi and Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as evidence that the region possesses dedicated representatives actively involved in “vital behind-the-scenes negotiations for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.”
Similarly, Pastor Damain Onu of SEPYIFT warned Southeast residents to be cautious of being “deceived and misled by Omoyele Sowore” into hating their leaders. Onu questioned why Sowore was rallying the Igbo people for a protest when no similar demonstration occurred in Lagos or Abuja following the arrest and detention of Yoruba nation agitator Sunday Igboho. Onu concluded that the protest is simply designed to “complicate the issue for Nnamdi Kanu, so that he can be incarcerated more.” The consensus among these major Igbo bodies remains that quiet diplomacy and political engagement offer the most viable path toward securing freedom for the IPOB leader.
