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The Arewa Take-It-Back Movement (ATIB), a coalition of Northern Nigerian youth, activists, and civil society leaders, has declared full support for the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
In a statement issued by Comrade Nazif Bashi, Lead Coordinator of ATIB, the group said its decision to stand with the movement reflects a collective demand for justice and respect for the rule of law.
The group warned against oppression and suppression of the protesters, and called for a national unity.
“As voices from the North, we stand with our brothers and sisters across Nigeria in demanding the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued detention since June 2021, despite multiple court rulings, including the October 2022 Court of Appeal judgment ordering his release, undermines the rule of law and democracy itself,” the statement read.
ATIB emphasised that Kanu’s detention is not an ethnic or regional issue, but a national crisis that threatens the liberty of all Nigerians.
The group drew parallels between the injustice faced by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and broader cases of repression across the country.
“This is not an Igbo issue; it is a national crisis that endangers every Nigerian’s liberty,” the group stated.
“The injustice faced by Mazi Kanu mirrors the silencing of citizens in Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, and Borno, and the growing misuse of the Cybercrimes Act to suppress dissent.”
The group also commended human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and the Take-It-Back Movement for championing a united national campaign for justice.
The group described the peaceful march to Aso Rock as “a moral duty to demand accountability from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.”
ATIB urged all Arewa youth, students, and traders across the country to participate in the peaceful demonstration, stressing that Nigeria’s unity must be rooted in justice, not oppression.
The group demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu; compliance with all judicial rulings on his case; access to medical care and humane treatment, and repeal of repressive laws like the Cybercrimes Act.”
ATIB called on authorities to respect citizens’ constitutional rights under Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly and association.
“To the federal government and security agencies: honour the courts, uphold the Constitution, and permit peaceful assembly,” the group said.
