A pan-Igbo pressure group, Ikenga Think-Tank, has called on Nigerians from all parts of the country to participate in a nationwide protest aimed at securing the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The group made this call in a statement released on Saturday, October 18, 2025, and signed by its spokesperson, Dr. Dunkwu Agbambu. It urged Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity or religion, to come out in unity and demand justice for the IPOB leader who has been in detention since 2021.
The protest, titled #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, is being organised by human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, and is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 20, 2025. It is expected to hold simultaneously across major cities in Nigeria, including Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Onitsha, Aba, Kaduna, and Warri, among others.
In its statement titled “The People’s Communique for Justice and Liberation,” the Ikenga Think-Tank emphasised that the protest is not just about Kanu, but a larger call for justice and fairness for all Nigerians.
The group said: “We call on all Nigerian youths, students, workers, market men and women, and every citizen who is tired of oppression to join this peaceful protest. Nnamdi Kanu spoke out against injustice and oppression affecting everyone — not just the Igbos.”
It described the protest as a non-violent action aimed at pressuring the government to release Kanu, who it said was “abducted from Kenya and detained in violation of international law and human rights.”
The group also linked the planned action to what it described as widespread hardship and insecurity in the country.
“Our lands are under attack, farmlands are being occupied by armed herdsmen, people are being kidnapped, and many Nigerians cannot feed their families. The system has failed. Nnamdi Kanu spoke the truth about these things, and he is now paying the price.”
Nnamdi Kanu, the founder of IPOB, was first arrested in 2015 on charges related to treason, unlawful possession of arms, and inciting violence. He was later granted bail in 2017 but fled the country after a military raid on his home in Abia State.
In June 2021, he was rearrested in Kenya under controversial circumstances and brought back to Nigeria to face trial. His legal team and many international observers have condemned his arrest and detention, calling it extraordinary rendition, which is illegal under international law.
Since then, Kanu has remained in detention, despite several court rulings that have ordered his release. The Nigerian government has refused to let him go, citing national security concerns.
The Ikenga Think-Tank, in its message, stressed that the protest is not about promoting ethnic division but about demanding justice for all.
“To all Nigerian youths, students, patriots, children of the Rising Sun, children of Odùduwà, the descendants of the great Hausa and Kanem-Bornu warriors, heirs of the Niger-Benue cradle — the hour has come,” the group said in a strongly worded part of the statement.
“We must unite across regions and religions. Let the Yoruba stand with the Igbo. Let the North rise with the South. This protest is for everyone suffering under a system that ignores the pain of the people.”
The statement condemned what it described as state-backed injustice, accusing the government of turning the judiciary into “markets where truth is sold to the highest bidder.”
It also criticised security agencies, claiming that “they protect the powerful but hunt down the weak.”
Amid fears that the protest could lead to a breakdown of law and order, the group clarified that the movement is not a call for violence or rebellion.
“This is not a war. We are not enemies of the state. We are simply demanding justice. Let this movement be peaceful but unrelenting, disciplined but unshakable, unified but unstoppable,” the statement read.
The group also warned that if Nigerians fail to act, injustice would continue to grow.
“We must not be silent. Silence now is betrayal. The time for action and unity has come.”
The Legacy of Freedom Fighters and a New Generation of Protesters
The Ikenga Think-Tank also invoked the names of past Nigerian freedom fighters like Queen Amina, Obafemi Awolowo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ojukwu, and Isaac Boro, urging the younger generation to carry on their legacy of speaking out against injustice.
It described Sowore as “another fearless son of the soil,” and called on all “forces of conscience” to stand together for justice.
“Let the gates of Aso Rock hear the cry of the forgotten. Let every street in Nigeria become a voice.”
The group concluded with a clear demand: “Until Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is unconditionally released, we will occupy Aso Rock.”
As the scheduled date approaches, there are concerns about how the federal government and security agencies will respond to the planned demonstrations.
In the past, protests linked to IPOB have led to clashes with security operatives, especially in the South-East. However, the organisers insist this protest is not about IPOB alone, but about the rights of all indigenous peoples in Nigeria.
There has been no official response yet from the Nigerian Police Force or the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the planned mass action.
Across social media platforms, reactions have been mixed. Some Nigerians have expressed support for the protest, saying the injustice in Kanu’s case reflects the larger failures of the Nigerian system.
Others have called for caution, warning that protests of this scale could be hijacked or lead to unrest.
