Crime
Sowore And The Release Of Kanu, The Core Of Pure Brotherhood.
By Dr jarlat Uche opara
Beyond what eyes could see, he may have things up his sleeves, but within the sighting of our eyes it is nothing less brotherhood, the very core of our Christain values.
The story of the Good Sameritan speaks deeply here. Read through the narrative again, one could visibly appreciate how brotherhood goes beyond consanguinity , tribe and cultural affiliation.
The struggle for the realization of the sovereign nation of Biafra is one struggle that wouldn’t be muffled and hushed. It is beyond a struggle, more than a movement but much more of an identity that is woven around a spirit that sees nothing but the realization of Biafra. It is a spirit that dies not. It is a spirit that lives in all Biafrans. It is in their blood and would only die if there is no blood of Biafra still flowing in human beings.
Sowore isn’t Igbo , but he is obviously a brotherhood personified. He isn’t from any of the five States in the East but his impact and resilience punches and nudges to release NnamdiKanu, by day gains momentum.
Though not Igbo, however, his boldness, sagacity and unwavering mobilisation for a peaceful protest–“Release Nnamdi Kanu now very Ingenious”.
Nnamdi Kanu, was repatriated as alleged four years ago from Kenya to Nigeria 27 June 2021 to be precise. Allegedly arrested in Kenya or possibly another location by Interpol and extradited to Nigeria where he is supposed to face trial. However, Interpol in 2023 denied any involvement in the arrest.
Since his alleged abduction and rendition from Kenya in June 2021, Nnamdi Kanu’s legal saga has involved a series of court cases with conflicting rulings between Nigeria’s different judicial tiers. This complex legal history has included rulings declaring his rendition illegal, later overturned by the Supreme Court, and ongoing attempts to secure his freedom.
The Federal High Court in Abuja June 2021: Following his return to Nigeria, Kanu was secretly arraigned and detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja, bypassing his right to counsel of choice.
April 2022: Presiding Judge Binta Nyako dismissed 8 of the 15 amended charges filed against Kanu by the Nigerian government but allowed 7 terrorism-related charges to proceed.
September 2024: Judge Nyako withdrew from the case, citing an outburst by Kanu, and the case was reassigned to Justice James Omotosho.
March 2025: Kanu was re-arraigned before Justice Omotosho.
June 2025: The government closed its case against Kanu after presenting five witnesses. Kanu’s legal team filed a “no-case submission,” arguing the prosecution had failed to establish a case against him.
September 2025: Justice Omotosho rejected Kanu’s “no-case submission,” ruling that the prosecution had presented enough evidence for Kanu to present his defence.
October 2025: The trial was adjourned to October 16 to await a medical report on Kanu’s health, which was ordered by the court.
October 2022: A Court of Appeal panel unanimously quashed the remaining 7 terrorism charges against Kanu. The court ruled that his forceful rendition from Kenya violated both Nigeria’s extradition treaty and his fundamental human rights.
October 2022: The same Court of Appeal granted a “stay of execution” on its own judgment to allow the government to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
December 2023: The Supreme Court overturned the Appeal Court’s acquittal. The apex court ruled that despite the government’s illegal actions, the Appeal Court should not have dismissed the terrorism charges against Kanu. It ordered the trial to continue at the Federal High Court.
June 2025: Kenya’s High Court in Nairobi declared that Kanu’s abduction, detention, torture, and transfer from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 were unlawful and constitutional.
The court awarded Kanu 10 million Kenyan shillings (about ₦120 million) in damages for the violations of his rights.
One can see the vacillation, the undulation and the obvious floppy nature the case. Very obvious that there are more to his abduction and detention than meets the eyes.
Political games not ruled out and the unspoken mindset of being a spoil of the war fought over five decades not at a discount.
I am not an avid fan of Nnamdi Kanu which of course is personal. I may not agree completely with his operational style, his outburst, brashines, hubris and provocative use of words which still is personal. However, what he is fighting for and against cannot be waved off as irrelevant. There are issues that have eaten deep into the fabrics of our collective unity, fairness, integrity, justice and equity.
Biafra isn’t a movement. It is a spirit. A blood that runs in the vein of every Igbo person. It is ancestral, a heritage that cannot be dimmed and diminished. It lives even when it isn’t visible.
What an average Igbo person has not done Sowore is about to do. What our political leaders found less needful, Sowore is driving with passion and energy unruffled.
What those that have turned South East into a theatre of war and intimidation, using the tools of sit at home, unknown gun men and the likes could not see as an engagement strategy, Sowore is pushing with vigour and resilience.
Now that he has built a house for the South East, married for them, bought a bed for them, the least they could do is to do the job at the other room( coming out in great numbers to support the peaceful protest) Not everything is achieved through violence.
For years we have been very destructive to ourselves, cutting our nose to spite our face, making South East very volatile in the name of secession struggle. The truth of the matter is, we are merely blinking in the dark. Drinking poisonous substances to spite the Federal Government. It never worked and won’t work.
South East isn’t a place to fight the war. Abuja is. Let join forces with Sowore to fight this war through peaceful protest where the impact would be felt. The fight is in Abuja not in the South East. The sit at home should be in Abuja not in the South East. We have shot for years but our shootings sadly have been off the target.
I stand with Sowore in this peaceful protest. I don’t know about you?
Jarlathuche@gmail.com