Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has revealed new details surrounding the trial, conviction, and political negotiations involving Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Saturday, November 29, 2025, Sowore claimed that public pressure and nationwide protests played a crucial role in averting what he described as a pre-planned and potentially fatal outcome for Kanu.
Sowore alleged that the events surrounding Kanu’s legal ordeal were orchestrated long before the court delivered its verdict. According to him, he had foreknowledge of an alleged plan to impose an extreme punishment on Kanu and issued public warnings weeks ahead of the judgment.
“I have had a lot of conversations about Nnamdi Kanu’s situation; his trial was pre-planned. Everything that eventually played out on the day of his conviction had already been exposed by me on November 5,” he said. He added that the coordinated protests and global advocacy led by activists were instrumental in shifting public attention to the case. “We fought a bit through the Free Nnamdi Kanu protest to save him,” he stated.
Sowore further alleged that “they were going to sentence Nnamdi Kanu to death,” insisting that his earlier warnings could be verified through his social media posts made before the judgment.
During another segment of the Arise News programme, Perspectives, Sowore disclosed that no governor from the South-East responded to his calls when he reached out to discuss Kanu’s plight. He claimed their silence showed a lack of concern for the detained separatist leader despite his significant influence among the Igbo populace.
“So the regional leaders you are talking about—I called all of them. I called all the governors; no one picked my call. None of them has called me back,” Sowore lamented. He added that their refusal was rooted in political expediency, noting that some leaders were envious of Kanu’s popularity and preferred a “political solution” that required him to seek release under negotiated terms.
According to Sowore, part of the proposed conditions for Kanu’s release included forming a political party after presenting his defence. He argued that some South-East political leaders believed they could maintain control over the region only with the backing of President Bola Tinubu, and viewed Kanu’s mass appeal as a threat to their authority.
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