Oct 20 Protest: Tukur Backs Atiku on Nnamdi Kanu’s Release

Public affairs analyst and Youth Leaders for Peace (EYLP) member, Rilwan Tukur, has backed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s call for a political solution to the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying the move is aimed at ensuring national peace and stability.

Tukur made his position known in a statement issued on Sunday, following criticism from Murtala Gamji, a northern leader, who had alleged that Atiku’s stance was politically motivated.

Reacting, Tukur said Gamji misunderstood the former vice president’s intentions, stressing that Atiku’s position was not driven by personal interest but by a genuine desire for peace.

“If Atiku has any interest in the matter, it is only his desire for peace and stability in the country,” Tukur stated.

He noted that as a statesman, Atiku has consistently supported efforts that promote unity and national cohesion.

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According to Tukur, some legal matters in Nigeria require political solutions to achieve lasting peace, citing the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s handling of the Niger Delta crisis as an example.

“Did the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua not resolve the Niger Delta crisis through a political solution instead of endless court cases? The Niger Delta is peaceful today because Yar’Adua chose dialogue over war—he released the militant leaders from detention and granted them amnesty,” he explained.

Tukur argued that criticising Atiku for calling for Nnamdi Kanu’s release is misplaced, insisting that the IPOB issue is a national challenge that demands swift political intervention rather than prolonged legal battles that could deepen resentment in the South East.

“Atiku’s only interest in Kanu’s case is to help reduce tension in the South East through political dialogue instead of continued legal fights that only create more anger among IPOB supporters,” he added.

The development comes ahead of a planned protest led by activist Omoyele Sowore, scheduled for October 20, 2025, to demand Kanu’s release.

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Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his rearrest in Kenya in June 2021.

There have been repeated calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release him, but no action has been taken so far.