ABUJA, Nigeria — Security forces on Monday fired tear gas and live rounds into the air to disperse protesters in Abuja demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The demonstration, led by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, defied a court order and police warning restricting protests around key government areas, including Aso Rock, the National Assembly, and Eagle Square.
Chanting “Free Nnamdi Kanu now!” and “It’s our constitutional right to protest!”, the protesters gathered near Transcorp Hilton and Unity Fountain before being confronted by a large contingent of police, army, and civil defence officers.
“We had just started peacefully when the police and soldiers began shooting tear gas and even live bullets,” Sowore said in a televised interview on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief. “It was an unprovoked attack. Some protesters and even bystanders were arrested and taken away.”
Witnesses said roads leading to Unity Fountain, Federal Secretariat, and the Three Arms Zone were barricaded, with security operatives stationed at major junctions. Motorists and pedestrians were denied access as armed personnel patrolled the area.
Sowore claimed that Kanu’s younger brother and his lawyer were among those detained and beaten before being taken to the FCT Police Command.
The police, however, maintained that the protest violated an interim injunction issued by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, which restricted public gatherings near critical state installations. Officials warned that “digital evidence” would be used to identify online mobilizers for arrest.
Despite the clampdown, Sowore insisted that the group had notified the authorities in advance and would legally challenge the “unconstitutional order.” He said 115 lawyers were preparing to file motions against what he termed “a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice.”
Nnamdi Kanu, who faces terrorism and treason charges, has been in detention since his 2021 re-arrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria.
His defense team has asked for his transfer to the National Hospital in Abuja, citing deteriorating health.
The protest coincided with the fifth anniversary of the #EndSARS movement, with activists drawing parallels between police brutality then and the current repression of dissent.
As tear gas cleared over Abuja’s skyline, the message from protesters remained unchanged — a demand for justice, rule of law, and Kanu’s release.
