Igbo-speaking youths across Nigeria have declared their support for the planned October 20, 2025 peaceful protest calling for the unconditional release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a communiqué released after an emergency meeting held in Awka on Wednesday, the youths, under the banner of the Igbo Youth Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, urged other ethnic groups and justice advocates across the country to stand in solidarity with their demand for Kanu’s release.
The meeting brought together representatives from key youth bodies, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the youth arm of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).
The group appealed to all Igbo youths, both within Nigeria and in the diaspora, to remain calm and conduct themselves peacefully throughout the protest, emphasizing that the demonstration must be free from violence or confrontation.
> “We urge our people to maintain discipline and decorum during the protest so that no one falls victim to unforeseen circumstances. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu himself would not want any innocent blood to be shed on his behalf,” the communiqué stated.
The youths expressed disappointment that, despite recent progress such as the establishment of the South East Development Commission, the region continues to face what they described as social and economic marginalization.
> “With the creation of the South East Development Commission, we believed the wounds of the civil war were finally healing. However, current realities suggest that issues of exclusion and inequality still persist,” the group said.
They further called on the Federal Government to grant amnesty to agitators and release Kanu as part of a broader effort toward national reconciliation and lasting peace.
> “The Federal Government has yet to secure any conviction against him since his detention. We therefore advocate his release as a political solution to the ongoing security and socio-political challenges in the South East,” the communiqué added.
The group acknowledged the efforts of Igbo leaders, both past and present, in promoting peace in the region but urged them to intensify engagement with the Federal Government to ensure decisive action is taken.
Welcoming the nationwide solidarity behind the planned protest, the youths described it as a “national action against injustice.” They reaffirmed their dedication to peace, justice, and unity built on fairness and equality.
> “We want peace, but not the peace of the graveyard. We want unity, but not the unity of a slave and a master. We demand justice, because a people denied justice can never truly know peace,” the communiqué concluded.
