Concerned Igbo Eastern youths condemn calls for unrest disguised as protests
The Concerned Igbo Eastern Youths (CIEY) have strongly condemned the planned nationwide protest scheduled for October 20, 2025, describing it as a disguised attempt to stir unrest in the Southeast.
In a statement jointly signed by its coordinators — Okechukwu Onoha, Damian Maduka, and Peter Iloka — the group said the planned protest, being organized under the “Free Nnamdi Kanu” banner, is not a genuine campaign for justice but a calculated effort by “self-serving politicians and desperate agitators” to destabilize the region and undermine national peace.
CIEY particularly criticized the involvement of external figures such as Omoyele Sowore, accusing them of “exploiting Igbo pain for political mileage.” The group noted that the Southeast is only beginning to recover from years of unrest and violence linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Recalling the toll of IPOB’s violent campaigns between 2015 and 2023, the statement said over 3,000 lives were lost, several police stations destroyed, and businesses worth billions of naira wiped out — plunging many youths into poverty and displacement.
“We will not allow any group or individual to drag our people back into another cycle of chaos and bloodshed,” the group warned.
CIEY reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy, youth empowerment, and constructive dialogue with government authorities. It urged Igbo youths to reject any call to protest and instead channel their energy toward rebuilding communities and promoting development in the region.
The group also called on security agencies to remain vigilant and prevent criminal elements from using activism as a cover to foment trouble. “The unity of Nigeria and the peace of the Southeast must not be compromised for political gain,” the statement concluded.
