A peaceful protest calling for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, turned violent on Monday after security operatives fired tear gas canisters at demonstrators led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore in the Maitama and Transcorp Hilton areas of Abuja.
The protesters, including clergymen, members of civil society groups, and pro-democracy activists, had gathered under the banner of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow movement to demand Kanu’s immediate release in compliance with a 2022 Court of Appeal judgment.
Eyewitnesses said the protesters had barely begun chanting solidarity songs when heavily armed police officers and soldiers moved in, firing multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
“There were no violent acts; people were only singing and holding placards when the police suddenly started shooting tear gas,” an eyewitness told Politics Nigeria. “Many people were injured, and even passersby were affected by the fumes.”
The protest, which began around the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) headquarters in Maitama before spreading towards the Transcorp Hilton area, quickly descended into chaos as security personnel sealed off adjoining streets and fired indiscriminately.
Videos from the scene showed protesters and commuters scampering for safety as thick plumes of smoke filled the air. Some journalists covering the protest were reportedly manhandled, while several protesters sustained injuries.
Security sources confirmed that the operation was a joint effort by the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Army. The security agencies had, on Sunday, issued warnings cautioning demonstrators against marching toward restricted areas such as the Presidential Villa, Eagle Square, and the Three Arms Zone.
Despite the warnings, Sowore and other organisers vowed to go ahead with the protest, accusing the government of violating court orders and suppressing lawful dissent.
“We are here to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued detention is in defiance of valid court judgments,” Sowore said moments before the police crackdown. “Instead of respecting the rule of law, they’ve chosen brutality and intimidation.”
Barrister Njoku Jude Njoku, a member of the Nnamdi Kanu Defence Consortium, condemned the police action and reiterated that Kanu’s detention remained illegal.
In a statement titled “#ReleaseNnamdiKanu – The Law Is Clear!”, Njoku said:
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention isn’t just unlawful—it’s a national embarrassment. The government is disobeying its own courts and violating the Constitution. The Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him in October 2022. That judgment stands, yet he remains in custody. This is pure contempt.”
He further accused the Supreme Court of “twisting justice” by reversing the appellate decision, describing the move as a breach of Section 36(9) of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits double jeopardy.
“You cannot try a man twice for the same offence,” he added. “They are even using a repealed version of the Terrorism Act to continue his trial. It’s unlawful and morally indefensible.”
Meanwhile, heavy security presence remains around strategic parts of the Federal Capital Territory, including Eagle Square, Unity Fountain, Federal Secretariat, and the approach roads to Aso Rock.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
