A former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, has expressed support for the planned protest by human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Mr Sowore has been mobilising for the planned protest scheduled for 20 October in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
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Solidarity letter
In a solidarity letter to Mr Sowore dated 13 October, Mr Wabara hailed the activist and others taking part in the protest for continued efforts to “speak up for justice, equity, and national reconciliation.”
“Unfortunately I am out of the country and will not be able to join you physically on that day.
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“However, please know that I am with you in spirit and in full support of every peaceful effort aimed at securing justice and national reconciliation,” he said.
“I wish you and all participants a peaceful and successful outing,” the former Senate president added.
Background
Mr Sowore, earlier this month, announced plans to lead a protest on 20 October to free Mr Kanu from detention.
With a hangtag, #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, Mr Sowore has visited various areas in Abuja, asking residents to join the protest.
Mr Sowore has also been calling on politicians from the South-east, including Peter Obi, to join the protest.
Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been in detention since he was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.
He was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Kanu leads IPOB, an outlawed group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.
He had been discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal in Abuja in 2022, but the Nigerian government blocked his release.
The government claimed that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if he was released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from.
The government later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgement at the Supreme Court.
On 15 December 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.
On 19 June 2025, the Nigerian government closed its case against the IPOB leader after the 5th prosecution witness was led in evidence and cross-examined by Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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However, rather than opening his defence, Mr Kanu, through his lawyers, instead filed a no-case submission to seek the dismissal of the charges on the grounds that the evidence presented by the prosecution failed to establish any case against him to warrant him entering any defence.
Despite initial opposition by prosecuting lawyers, the court later accepted Mr Kanu’s application for the no-case submission.
But on 26 September, the court dismissed the no-case submission filed by Mr Kanu and ordered him to enter his defence.
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