The streets of Umuahia, Abia State, were alive with songs, dancing, and emotional chants on Tuesday as over 600 youths gathered to celebrate the recent judgement delivered by a Kenyan court in favour of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The ruling, which declared Kanu’s 2021 arrest and forced return to Nigeria as illegal and unconstitutional, has reignited calls for his immediate release.
Gathering at Awka Hall in the early hours of the day, members of the All Igbo Youth Forum held a brief meeting before embarking on a peaceful march across major streets in the Abia State capital. Their message was loud and clear: justice must be done, and Kanu should be freed without further delay.
“The judgement in Kenya is not just a victory for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” said Chinedu Obilolor, President General of the All Igbo Youth Forum. “It is a moral wake-up call to the Nigerian government. Keeping him in detention any longer would amount to ignoring not just a court ruling, but the collective cry of a people.”
Obilolor drew parallels between Kanu’s situation and that of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, who was released by the government. “We are pleading with President Bola Tinubu: release this young man to us. Do the right thing like you did for Sunday Igboho,” he said.
He also accused South-East politicians of double standards. “They use Kanu’s name to win elections, but go silent when it matters most. That hypocrisy must end,” Obilolor said, adding that only genuine engagement with the youth can secure the president’s support in the region come 2027.
Obilolor warned that if Tinubu continues to rely solely on governors and lawmakers from the region, he risks political rejection. “The real power is with the youths. We met in Ebonyi last week and took a stand—we want peace, justice, and equity for Igbo people. And that begins with Kanu’s release.”
As the jubilant crowd waved flags and chanted pro-Biafra songs under the watchful eyes of security personnel, one thing became clear: the call for Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom is not dying down—it’s growing louder, firmer, and more united.
