Former presidential candidate and rights activist Omoyele Sowore has launched a nationwide mobilisation for a peaceful march to the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, scheduled for October 20, 2025. Sowore says the demonstration — branded #FreeNnamdiKanuNow — is a non-violent demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who remains in detention. Sahara Reporters+1
Over the past week Sowore visited multiple markets and community hubs in Abuja to sensitize citizens, insisting the march will follow democratic principles and seek dialogue rather than confrontation. Civil society groups and student bodies have signalled support, with the Ndigbo World Union and the National Association of Nigerian Students publicly backing the planned peaceful procession. Sahara Reporters+1
Analysts say the mobilisation highlights a rising impatience among sections of the public with prolonged detentions of high-profile activists and fuels renewed calls for greater transparency, due process, and state-citizen dialogue. Questions for leaders are growing: can sustained civic pressure prompt judicial clarity or political negotiation, and how will security agencies manage large, peaceful demonstrations to protect citizens’ rights while maintaining order?