A former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashar Ahmad, has criticized activist Omoyele Sowore for calling for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, describing such a demand as a “grave betrayal” of the victims of the group’s violence.
Ahmad expressed his disapproval in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday.
He stated that it would be insensitive to advocate Kanu’s release, considering the widespread violence and destruction allegedly linked to IPOB’s activities under his leadership.
“It is a grave betrayal to the innocent lives lost and the countless victims of IPOB’s brutality to call for the release of Nnamdi Kanu,” Ahmad wrote.
“This is a man who deliberately incited violence, engineered killings, and unleashed destruction across the South East and other parts of Nigeria. His actions tore families apart, destabilized communities, and left deep scars on our nation.”
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Ahmad’s remarks came in response to Sowore’s renewed call for the Federal Government to free Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in 2021.
The IPOB leader faces multiple charges, including treasonable felony, over his role in agitations for an independent Biafran state.
Ahmad’s statement has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians backing his stance while others argued that Kanu’s prolonged detention without resolution could further inflame tensions in the South-East.