Presidency says Kanu engaged in armed insurrection, Igboho in peaceful agitation

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare, has dismissed claims equating the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with that of Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

In a statement released Tuesday in Ibadan, Dare stressed that the two figures should not be compared, noting that their actions and consequences were fundamentally different.

He explained that Kanu, who was recently convicted of terrorism by a Federal High Court in Abuja, engaged in armed confrontation with the Nigerian state, which he said led to the deaths of more than 700 people and caused economic paralysis in the South-East.

“Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB movement involved elements widely associated with insurrection and direct confrontation against the Nigerian state. This included enforcement of sit-at-home orders, often through threats and violence, resulting in numerous deaths. Other inimical activities included attacks on security forces, destruction of public infrastructure, and the formation of armed groups like ESN,” Dare stated.

By contrast, he said Igboho’s activism was focused on defending Yoruba communities against criminal activities by rogue herders and advocating peacefully for Yoruba self-determination.

“Sunday Igboho’s activism centred on defending Yoruba communities, primarily against alleged killings, kidnappings, and farm destructions by suspected herders. He deployed peaceful agitation without establishing a militia to fight the Nigerian military, without ordering attacks on police or soldiers, and without imposing paralyzing enforcement measures like sit-at-home orders,” Dare added.

He emphasised that while Kanu’s actions escalated into armed rebellion and violent enforcement that harmed his own ethnic group, Igboho’s activities remained largely defensive and localised.

“The line is clear: one crossed into armed rebellion and violent enforcement, while the other remained defensive against perceived external threats. Public discourse should stop equating the two; the contexts, methods, and consequences are fundamentally different,” Dare concluded.

The remarks followed Igboho’s recent call on Kanu to pursue diplomatic engagement with the Federal Government, after commending him for cancelling the long-standing Monday sit-at-home order in the South-East.