SPLM-IO welcomes Nigeria’s demand for release of Machar

JUBA—The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) has welcomed a call by Nigeria urging South Sudanese authorities to release its leader and suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.

This follows President Bola Tinubu’s call for the immediate and unconditional release of the country’s Machar and other opposition figures who have been in detention since April 2025.

Tinubu made the statement last week during the African Union (AU) High-Level Adhoc Committee for South Sudan, known as the C-5 Plus Summit, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Puok Both Baluang, Acting Press Secretary in the office of the First Vice President, described Nigeria’s appeal as a significant show of regional solidarity and concern for the stability of South Sudan.

“The call for the immediate, unconditional release of South Sudan’s First Vice President H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny‑Dhurgon and of all other political detainees is an urgent step,” Baluang said.

He termed Nigeria’s position as a “positive and timely intervention” aimed at safeguarding South Sudan’s fragile peace process.

“It is essential to restoring confidence in the political process, to accelerating national reconciliation, and to paving the way for sustainable peace and stability in South Sudan,” he said.

“This position aligns perfectly with the spirit and letter of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R‑ARCSS).”

Baluang said the continued detention of Machar risks undermining confidence among parties to the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.

“Furthermore, Nigeria’s unequivocal reaffirmation of its commitment to the full implementation of the R‑ARCSS offers a beacon of hope. It underscores Nigeria’s enduring, stabilising

role as a committed actor within the region,” he said.

He said the call sends an unmistakable message that the era of political impunity should end and that the peaceful, political resolution of differences is non‑negotiable.

“At a time when the commitment of regional and international guarantors to the R‑ARCSS is being critically tested, Nigeria’s clear‑eyed advocacy demonstrates exemplary Pan‑African leadership,” he said.

He said the SPLM-IO stands in full support of Nigeria’s position and urged the regional and international community to seize this pivotal moment.

“The time has come to translate commitments into concrete actions that will secure the release of H.E. Dr. Machar and all detainees, end the conflict, and restore lasting peace and stability in South Sudan.”

Machar, 72, and the others face serious allegations, including treason, crimes against humanity, mass murder, terrorism, and destruction of property.

These charges stem from a March 2025 assault on an army base in Nasir, which resulted in the deaths of Majur and dozens of soldiers.

Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces allied with the White Army killed 257 SSPDF soldiers—including commander Gen. David Majur Dak—and destroyed or seized military equipment valued at about $58 million during the Nasir garrison attack in March 2025.