By Deborah Nnamdi
Security operatives on Monday foiled a planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, arresting key organisers including Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor.
The protest, convened by rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore, sought to pressure the Federal Government to release Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021. Demonstrators had planned to march toward the Presidential Villa, but security forces blocked all access routes.
Armed policemen and soldiers mounted barricades across major roads leading to the Villa and Central Area, halting protesters around the Transcorp Hilton, Maitama. Security agents later fired live bullets and teargas to disperse the crowd, sending panic across the city.
Protesters who regrouped at Utako and Aso Mechanic Village were again dispersed, as officers fired teargas that spread into nearby plazas and offices, affecting bystanders and workers. Business owners hastily locked up shops as customers and commuters fled for safety. Two journalists with Agence France-Presse (AFP) were also arrested during the chaos.
Sowore, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accused the police of brutality and unlawful detention, claiming that “Nnamdi Kanu’s brother, his lawyer, and innocent bystanders were beaten and taken to the FCT Command.” Ejimakor confirmed in a separate post that he and others were being held at the FCT Command CID, Garki.
Police authorities had earlier warned against holding demonstrations near key government facilities, citing a Federal High Court order restricting protests around the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
“Citizens are free to express their opinions peacefully, but not in areas designated as restricted zones by the court,” police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin stated.
Despite heavy security presence and the citywide lockdown, some protesters remained defiant, regrouping around the Apo Mechanic area to chant slogans and wave placards demanding Kanu’s release.
The situation worsened in the Utako District when officers fired teargas and live rounds near Chida Hotel, forcing traders and shoppers to flee. Several people sustained minor injuries while escaping, and many shops remained shut long after the incident.
One shop owner, identified simply as Ameobi, said, “We are not protesters. We were just inside our shops when police started firing. Everyone ran away in fear.”
A female protester appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, insisting, “We are not protesting against the government but against some Southeast leaders delaying Kanu’s release.”
At press time, calm was gradually returning to the city, though security patrols remained heavy around Utako, Maitama, and the Central Business District.
Kanu is currently facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
