A coalition of southern socio-political groups has joined the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) in strongly condemning the planned October 20 protest demanding the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The Coalition of Southern Groups (CSG), comprising the Yoruba Council Worldwide, East-West Alliance Group, Southern Nigeria Youth Congress, Oron Youth Council, Ijaw Youth Congress, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Parliament, among others, announced its stance in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator and President of Yoruba Council Worldwide, Aare Oladotun Hassan.
According to the statement, the groups aligned with the position of the CNG, describing the planned protest as a “premeditated agitation” aimed at blackmailing the judiciary and destabilizing national peace.
The protest, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, was announced earlier this month by activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and is expected to hold in Abuja. It seeks the unconditional release of the IPOB leader, who is facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court.
Aare Hassan condemned the planned action as “morally reprehensible and politically irresponsible,” accusing certain “treacherous elites and self-styled activists” of manipulating public sentiment to undermine the rule of law. He alleged that the movement had the backing of politicians such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, describing their actions as “a dangerous blackmail against the Nigerian state.”
The statement recalled IPOB’s alleged violent activities, citing the killings of security personnel, attacks on police stations, and the destruction of property worth billions of naira across the Southeast.
The coalition insisted that no amount of protest or “emotional blackmail” would erase the group’s “atrocities” or compel the government to compromise the judicial process.
The CSG also accused IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), of inciting violence, disrupting economic life in the Southeast, and contributing to insecurity through their sit-at-home orders. It said the continued agitation for Kanu’s release was a “direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and judiciary.”
The group called on the Federal Government to ensure Kanu’s trial reaches its logical conclusion, warning that his release under pressure would undermine national security and insult the memory of those killed in IPOB-related violence.
The coalition further urged security agencies to be vigilant and proactive in preventing unrest during the planned demonstrations, and demanded an investigation into the funding and coordination of the protest.
It cautioned President Bola Tinubu against yielding to political pressure or public sentiment, emphasizing the need to preserve judicial independence and uphold the rule of law.
“The same political voices who condemned Boko Haram now glorify Nnamdi Kanu. This hypocrisy threatens our national unity,” the statement read. “Nigeria must not bow to emotional blackmail; the law must take its course, for without justice, there can be no peace.”
The CSG concluded by reaffirming its commitment to national unity, peace, and justice, saying the joint position of both southern and northern coalitions represents a united front against actions capable of destabilizing the country.
