A group of Nigerians in the United States on Monday staged a protest at the Nigerian House in New York, demanding the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a video shared by human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, the demonstrators were seen chanting and carrying placards accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of injustice and human rights violations.
One of the protesters declared:
“Power belongs to the people, Ahmed Bola Tinubu. If you truly won the election, then respect the rule of law. Nigerians in the diaspora are awake and watching. You are a criminal President, and that fact has been confirmed by the United States of America.”
The protesters described Kanu as a prisoner of conscience, condemning the Nigerian government’s defiance of multiple court orders that granted him freedom.
“He was tried in court and acquitted, yet your government continues to hold him captive. If you have any dignity, release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu now,” another protester said.
Meanwhile, simultaneous protests were held in Abuja, where Sowore led the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration. He warned that the government’s refusal to comply with court rulings could further fuel unrest across the country.
“Today is different; nobody can stop this spirit. We are determined to bring our brother home,” Sowore told NewsCentral TV.
According to him, security operatives, including the police and civil defence, fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse protesters in several parts of Abuja, including Utako and Apo.
“They attacked us at every point, but we kept regrouping. If they don’t release Nnamdi Kanu soon, this agitation may spiral out of control,” he warned.
Sowore emphasized that the protests were peaceful and aimed at demanding justice and fairness.
“We are not calling for violence. We are saying every Nigerian deserves citizenship rights. If the government refuses to treat people as citizens, those who wish to leave should be allowed to go,” he added.
The protests are part of renewed nationwide and international calls for the federal government to obey court rulings ordering Kanu’s release.
Sowore also alleged that security agencies opened fire without provocation during a previous protest at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, describing the government’s continued detention of Kanu as “a deliberate obstruction of justice.”
Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2021, faces charges bordering on treasonable felony. Despite several court judgments granting him bail and ordering his release, the Nigerian government has yet to comply.
