A civil society organization, Nigeria First Project Initiative, has kicked against the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest led by the convener of #RevolutionNow, Mr. Omoleye Sowore, and other individuals and groups in Abuja.
Briefing journalists at a news conference in Katsina, the National Coordinator of Nigeria First, Comrade Hamza Umar Saulawa, expressed doubts over the intentions of Mr. Sowore whom he described as a “dual citizen of Nigeria and the US” who is also driven by “political motivations”.
Saulawa urged Sowore and other Nigerian citizens “who wish well for the country” to consider the implications of releasing Kanu whom he accused of being behind the continued operations of IPOB despite its proscription and designation as a terrorist organization by the federal government.
He lamented the compulsory sit-at-home order imposed by the organization in the Southeast and parts of South-south zones, paralyzing business, educational and social activities and causing untold hardship on ordinary citizens.
“Kanu who is being arraigned by the Department of State Services on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, illegal possession of firearms and managing an unlawful organization among others.
“He was granted bail in 2017 but he flouted the bail conditions and even jumped bail and fled the country where he continued sending inciting and hateful messages through social media channels.
“These messages led to more killings of security agencies and ordinary Nigerian citizens including those of Southeast origin. It took international collaboration and intelligence sharing to rearrest Kanu in 2021 and bring him back to Nigeria to face charges of terrorism”, Saulawa said.
While describing Kanu as a divisive figure, Saulawa expressed the fear that “if freed or released on bail, the IPOB leader will continue to promote violence and attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The group urged the convener of #RevolutionNow, Mr. Omoloye Sowore, and other individuals and groups to desist from organizing protests to call for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
Similarly, the group condemned the recent attempted coup d’etat and commended the proactiveness of intelligence agencies against the plot, stating that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.
The group described the coup plot as “part of the grand design to achieve a sinister agenda by a retrogressive section of the Nigerian elites who are hell-bent on truncating ourhard-earned democracy”.
“Nigerian democracy is indeed thriving as we just recently marked a milestone of 26th year anniversary of uninterrupted democracy, only apologists of totalitarianism and anarchists will wish the reversal of this great feat in our democratic journey” Hamza Saulawa stressed.
Ismail Adamu
