FreeNnamdiKanu: Protesters defy security warning, vow Villa march

Kanu

There may be a showdown between the security forces and the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters today (Monday) following plans by the organisers to march on the Presidential Villa to pressure the government to release from custody Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

This is even as a Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining the organisers from protesting near the Villa, the National Assembly, and other key government institutions.

Despite the judicial hurdle, the organisers remain defiant, vowing to stick to their original plan of a peaceful convergence in the Federal Capital Territory and a march to Aso Rock Villa.

The Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, affirmed that the protest would go on as scheduled, both in Abuja and simultaneously in the South-Eastern states of the country.

The nationwide demonstration for the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader was endorsed by the opposition parties.

Kanu is being detained on charges of terrorism, treason, and incitement, among others.

The Federal Government alleges he advocated for Biafra’s independence through controversial means, including inflammatory rhetoric on social media and Radio Biafra.

IPOB was declared a terrorist organisation in 2017. Kanu fled Nigeria in 2017 while on bail, leading to his re-arrest in Kenya in 2021. His extradition from Kenya sparked controversy and legal debates.

Many argue Kanu’s detention is political persecution, while others see it as lawful prosecution.

Kanu’s health condition has been a point of contention, but a recent medical evaluation declared him fit for trial.

The Federal Government is apprehensive over the rally, particularly with its scheduled date coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest that culminated in the alleged Lekki massacre.