WHY SOWORE’S ATTEMPT TO RALLY THE OPPOSITION TO FORCE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO RELEASE NNAMDI KANU IS ILL-CONCEIVED, MISCALCULATED, AND WILL NOT RESONATE WITH THE MASSES
By Dr. Ope Banwo (The Mayor of Fadeyi)
Founder, Naija Lives Matter
The Call Sowore Hopes Will Stir the Streets
Omoyele Sowore, the ever-fiery face of Nigerian activism, is back on the battlefield. His latest campaign? The immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Recently, he met with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, lobbied prominent politicians across party lines, and even announced that Jonathan had agreed to speak with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Kanu’s behalf. Sowore’s appeal was urgent and emotional:
“Every leader of conscience must act now, not later. Nnamdi Kanu should be set free.”
Powerful words. Noble sentiment. But the big question remains — is this the right cause for Nigeria’s opposition to rally around?
As someone who has publicly applauded many of Sowore’s recent moves, I must say that this particular crusade is a strategic blunder. Taking up Nnamdi Kanu’s cause may look courageous, but it’s politically tone-deaf and distracts from the real issues that can unite Nigerians behind a credible opposition.
Let me break this down, as always, without fear, favor, or sentiment.
Fair Trial, Yes — But Let’s Be Realistic
Let’s begin with principle: everyone deserves a fair, open, and speedy trial. That’s constitutional, moral, and non-negotiable.
However, Nnamdi Kanu’s case isn’t your average human-rights issue. He’s being tried under treasonable felony, incitement, and terrorism laws — grave allegations in any country.
And these charges are not baseless. Nigerians have seen and heard the evidence firsthand.
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Videos on YouTube show Kanu inspecting armed recruits he called the Biafra Secret Service, addressing them as “soldiers of a new Biafra.”
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We all watched him brandish the Biafran flag, salute formations, and promise to “defend our land by any means necessary.”
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In multiple Radio Biafra broadcasts, he called for the violent breakup of Nigeria and even urged Igbos to burn down Lagos if provoked.
These are not rumors or social media fabrications — they are documented public broadcasts, still available online.
So when Sowore tries to make Kanu’s incarceration the ultimate test of courage for the opposition, he’s misreading both global precedent and local political psychology.
1️⃣ Detaining Accused Insurrectionists for Long Periods Is Not a Nigerian Invention
Across the world, governments have detained high-risk suspects for extended periods while legal processes drag on — not because democracy is dead, but because national-security cases are treated differently from ordinary crimes.
And when someone has publicly called for violence or formed a militia, no nation releases them easily.
Let’s look at a few examples:
🇺🇸 The United States – Guantánamo Bay
After 9/11, America held hundreds of suspects without trial for over 15 years. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged 9/11 mastermind, has been detained for over 20 years without a concluded trial — all in the name of national security.
🇫🇷 France – Long Pre-Trial Detentions in Terror Cases
France kept Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving attacker from the 2015 Paris attacks, in pre-trial detention for six years before sentencing him in 2022.
🇬🇧 The United Kingdom – The Northern Ireland “Troubles”
Britain detained hundreds under “internment without trial.” Even in the 2000s, the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act (2001) allowed indefinite detention of foreign suspects.
🇮🇳 India – The Kashmir Precedent
India’s Public Safety Act allows authorities to detain people for up to two years without formal charge. After revoking Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019, leaders like Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were held for months and years.
Turkey – The Post-Coup Crackdown
After the 2016 coup attempt, Turkey detained tens of thousands. Selahattin Demirtaş, co-chair of a major opposition party, has been in detention since 2016 without final judgment — despite court orders for release.
If these respected democracies justify prolonged detentions on security grounds, is it really shocking that Nigeria has not hurried to free someone caught on video raising a militia and calling for the nation’s breakup?
2️⃣ Lesson: National Security Cases Don’t Move Like Normal Trials
Whether in Abuja or Washington, Paris or Ankara, governments treat perceived threats to national unity differently.
It may feel unjust or excessive, but that’s the global norm.
When a suspect is caught recruiting paramilitary groups, threatening to burn cities, or calling for secession, the state will always invoke “national security” — and most citizens will side with stability over sympathy.
That’s why making the Nnamdi Kanu case the flagship cause of the opposition is a strategic error. It’s a battle no serious political movement can win in the court of public opinion.
3️⃣ Kanu’s Case Lacks the Moral Clarity Needed to Unite the People
Successful opposition movements thrive on clear moral causes that touch the daily lives of citizens — like rising food prices, fuel hikes, and joblessness.
Kanu’s struggle, on the other hand, is ideological, ethnic, and polarizing.
Yes, he deserves justice. But this is the same man who:
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Told millions that Nigeria must be destroyed “by any means necessary.”
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Encouraged violence against non-Igbos.
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Allegedly incited arson in Lagos as “revenge” for perceived injustice.
These are public statements that alienate ordinary Nigerians — from the Northern farmer to the Lagos trader, even to many in the Southeast who desire reform, not war.
That’s political suicide for anyone trying to build a national coalition.
4️⃣ There Are Better Hills for the Opposition to Die On
If the opposition truly wants to prove its relevance and win the people’s confidence, there are more unifying, urgent battles to fight than the Nnamdi Kanu crusade.
✅ a) The Cost-of-Living Meltdown
Stand with the hungry, not just the angry. Tackle inflation, hunger, and poverty — causes that unite Nigerians across all regions.
✅ b) The Power Supply Embarrassment
Demand consistent electricity for 200 million Nigerians. That’s a rallying cry every citizen can get behind — even foreign allies will respect it.
✅ c) The Youth Unemployment Crisis
Turn the frustration of over 40 million jobless youths into a movement for skills, innovation, and opportunity.
These are the kinds of moral and strategic battles that can energize the masses and unify the nation.
But a movement anchored on the volatile symbolism of Nnamdi Kanu will only divide and alienate.
The Mayor’s Verdict
I admire Sowore’s courage — truly. Lately, I’ve even grown to respect his persistence. Nigeria needs more men who refuse to whisper when they should roar.
But courage without calculation can lead to chaos.
The Nnamdi Kanu crusade is emotionally charged, politically dangerous, and strategically empty. It’s a hill where the opposition will lose both moral credibility and mass support.
In a nation struggling with hunger, darkness, and despair, we don’t need symbolic martyrdom. We need strategy, empathy, and focus.
So yes — fight for justice and due process. But don’t confuse the trial of a separatist leader with the larger Nigerian struggle for unity and progress.
Some hills are meant to be climbed.
This one, my brother Sowore, you should walk around.
There are far more important battles waiting — ones that can truly rally the people and hold this administration accountable.
With respect,
Dr. Ope Banwo
The Mayor of Fadeyi
Attorney • Techpreneur • Political Commentator
Founder, Naija Lives Matter