There was tension in Abuja on Monday during a protest demanding the release of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, accused security operatives of firing live bullets at peaceful demonstrators.
The protest, which held in front of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory, was part of the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanu campaign. It aimed to draw attention to the continued detention of Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite several court orders granting him bail.
Sowore, who participated in the rally, made the claims during an interview on The Morning Brief, a programme aired on Channels Television.
According to him, the protest had barely started when about ten police trucks arrived at the scene. He insisted that the protesters were peaceful and had no intention of causing trouble.
“There was no provocation on our part, like we had promised. It was an orderly and peaceful protest,” Sowore said. “Suddenly, from nowhere, they started shooting at us – tear gas, and even some live bullets were fired.”
While he stated that no one appeared to have been hit by the live rounds, he described the situation as dangerous and unnecessary.
“We were lucky. I don’t think anybody was hit with live bullets, but they were just shooting all around us,” he said.
Sowore also alleged that some protesters were arrested and brutalised by security agents. Among those reportedly arrested were Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother and his lawyer.
“Eventually, they did arrest some people. I heard Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother was arrested and beaten, and his lawyer was also arrested and beaten. They’ve all been taken to the FCT Command,” he added.
The protest adds to the growing national and international calls for the release of Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was re-arrested in 2021 and brought back to Nigeria from Kenya under controversial circumstances.
Despite court rulings ordering his release, the Federal Government has refused to set him free, insisting that he still has serious charges to answer.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the police or other security agencies concerning the incident.
