The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has declared all custodial centres across the country as “red zones” as tensions rise ahead of the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest taking place in Abuja.
The declaration comes amid heightened security alerts and warnings from the police as pro-democracy groups, led by activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, mobilize for a mass demonstration demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest and extradition to Nigeria in June 2021, despite a Court of Appeal judgment in 2022 that discharged and acquitted him.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the spokesperson for the NCoS, Abubakar Umar, said the declaration of all custodial centres as red zones was a preventive security measure to forestall any unauthorized access or potential attacks during the demonstration.
“The public is hereby informed that all correctional centres are declared as red zones,” Umar said.
“The NCoS reiterates that correctional centres are restricted areas. Anyone who has no official business therein should stay off to avoid any untoward incidents or security breaches.”
According to the Service, security has been tightened around major correctional facilities nationwide, with officers placed on high alert to deter any breach or infiltration.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) also issued a separate warning, urging organisers and participants of the planned protest to respect a subsisting court order restricting demonstrations around key government areas, including the Presidential Villa, Eagle Square, and the Central Business District.
The Force cautioned that anyone who attempts to use the protest as cover to incite violence, destroy property, or spread unrest, either physically or through online platforms, would be “dealt with decisively.”
Heavy security presence has already been observed around strategic points in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, Unity Fountain, and the Three Arms Zone, as authorities brace for possible disruption.
Despite the warnings, Sowore and other organisers insist the protest will proceed peacefully, maintaining that Kanu’s continued detention amounts to a violation of both court orders and fundamental human rights.
Security analysts have, however, advised caution, noting that the government’s decision to place correctional centres and other critical facilities under high alert underscores growing concerns about possible infiltration or violence during the protests.
As of Monday morning, several security vehicles were stationed along major roads leading to the Central Area and the Presidential Villa, while demonstrators continued to mobilize across various parts of Abuja under the banner of the #FreeNnamdiKanu movement.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
