Tension erupted in the nation’s capital on Monday morning as security operatives disrupted a protest demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The protest, led by human rights activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, turned chaotic when police and military officers fired tear gas and live gunshots to disperse demonstrators gathered near the Three Arms Zone in Abuja.
Eyewitnesses and videos circulating online show Sowore and other protesters fleeing the area as shots rang out. The security forces reportedly arrived at the protest grounds as early as 7 a.m., taking over the location before the protesters could begin their planned march to Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign, spearheaded by Sowore, was organized to press for the immediate release of Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021. He was arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria under controversial circumstances, sparking national and international debates over legality and human rights.
Kanu faces terrorism-related charges over his role in leading IPOB, a group the Federal Government designated as a terrorist organization in 2017. Despite several court rulings ordering his release or granting him bail, the government has refused to let him go, citing national security concerns.
Before the protest, the Nigeria Police Force had issued warnings to the organizers, cautioning them against staging any demonstration near the Presidential Villa, citing security implications. However, Sowore and his supporters insisted on carrying out the protest, stating it was their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
In a statement before the protest, Sowore said: “We will not be silenced. Nnamdi Kanu deserves a fair trial or his immediate release. This injustice cannot continue.”
Shortly after the protest began, the situation escalated as security personnel moved in forcefully, using heavy tear gas and gunfire to scatter the crowd. No casualties were confirmed at the time of this report, but several protesters sustained minor injuries while trying to escape.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the handling of civil rights and freedom of expression in Nigeria. Many Nigerians online expressed outrage over the forceful disruption of the protest, describing it as another example of shrinking democratic space in the country.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the police nor the DSS had issued an official statement on the incident.
Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention remains a deeply divisive issue in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East, where many see him as a freedom fighter. The Federal Government, however, views him as a threat to national unity and stability.
