The Coalition of Southern Groups (CSG), under the leadership of Aare Oladotun Hassan, Esq., who also serves as the President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, has strongly condemned Monday’s nationwide protests demanding the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
In a press statement issued in Abuja today, the CSG described the demonstrations allegedly spearheaded by activist Omoyele Sowore as “a well-scripted and premeditated decoy designed to destabilize the nation, blackmail the judiciary, and ignite ethnic tension across Nigeria.”
The group alleged that the protests were “grandly funded by certain disgruntled Igbo political and cultural elites in collaboration with unpatriotic southern and northern sympathizers,” calling it “a dangerous blackmail against the Nigerian state.”
“Having failed through previous attempts such as the so-called ‘10 Days of End Bad Governance’ campaign, these agitators have now resorted to using Nnamdi Kanu’s detention as an ethnic weapon to sow discord and plunge the country into another civil war,” the statement read.
According to the Coalition, Sowore’s mobilization of protests under the guise of human rights activism is “a deceitful strategy to manipulate ethnic emotions and incite public unrest.”
The statement cautioned the Igbo people “not to be drawn into a battle they know nothing about,” warning that “Sowore’s agenda is not about justice but about chaos.”
The group reminded Nigerians of the violent activities of IPOB and ESN under Nnamdi Kanu, alleging that his directives led to the killing of thousands of civilians and security personnel, the destruction of over 100 police stations, and property losses estimated at ₦450 billion across the Southeast.
“It is morally reprehensible that those who claim to be democrats are advocating the release of a man whose secessionist crusade has claimed more than 3,000 innocent lives, including security officers, priests, and ordinary citizens,” the group said.
The CSG also accused politicians such as Omoyele Sowore, Peter Obi, and Atiku Abubakar of “hypocrisy and selective justice,” arguing that their current support for Kanu contradicts their earlier condemnation of Boko Haram and banditry.”
“Releasing Kanu without justice would not only insult the memory of slain security officers and innocent civilians but also demoralize our armed forces who have sacrificed their lives for the nation’s unity,” the group added.
The coalition maintained that the agitation for Kanu’s release was “a politically motivated move towards 2027,” describing it as “a desperate ethno-political manipulation disguised as human rights advocacy.”
The group urged the Federal Government to ensure that Kanu’s trial reaches a logical conclusion, stressing that justice must neither be delayed nor compromised by street protests or political pressure.
It also called on security agencies to remain vigilant in preventing violence during the demonstrations, while demanding a full investigation into individuals and organizations funding or coordinating the protests.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary and resist any attempt to cajole or blackmail the Presidency into interfering with judicial independence,” Hassan stated.
Furthermore, the CSG appealed to Nigerians, particularly the people of the Southeast, to reject calls to anarchy and instead embrace peace, dialogue, and national unity.
Reiterating its position, the CSG recalled that despite Kanu’s detention, IPOB and ESN continued to carry out violent attacks that led to hundreds of deaths and mass displacements between 2021 and 2024.
The coalition also linked Kanu’s rhetoric during the #EndSARS protests to the violent turn of events that led to the burning of police stations, looting, and destruction of public and private property worth over ₦200 billion.
“Unchecked extremism of this nature, if tolerated or rewarded, could escalate into full-blown terrorism,” the group warned.
The Coalition of Southern Groups reaffirmed its commitment to defending national unity and the rule of law, insisting that “no nation survives when treason and terrorism are rewarded.”
“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu under mob pressure would not heal Nigeria. It would embolden lawlessness and erode public confidence in justice,” the statement concluded.
The coalition therefore called on President Tinubu and all patriotic Nigerians to “choose justice over sentiment,” warning that “without justice, there can be no peace.”
