Abuja on Lockdown as Police Teargas #FreeNnamdiKanu Protesters, Arrest Kanu’s Lawyer and Journalists

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, was thrown into chaos yesterday as security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters demanding the release of detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The demonstration, led by activist Omoyele Sowore under the banner #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, brought economic activities to a standstill across key parts of the city, including Maitama, Jabi, and the Three Arms Zone.

As early as 6:00 a.m., police had mounted heavy roadblocks across major entry points into Abuja, causing massive traffic gridlock that left many workers stranded.

The protest, which organizers said was intended to be peaceful, turned violent when security operatives confronted the crowd near the NCC headquarters in Maitama. Tear gas canisters were fired as protesters, including Kanu’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, chanted “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now!”

Eyewitnesses said journalists covering the event, including AFP correspondent John Okunyomih, were assaulted by armed police officers who also damaged cameras and vehicles. The FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) condemned the attack, describing it as “a gross violation of press freedom and an affront to democracy.”

NUJ Secretary Jide Oyekunle urged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to sanction officers involved and replace the damaged work tools, warning that “security agents must remember journalists are partners in nation-building, not enemies of the state.”

Meanwhile, Sowore took to X (formerly Twitter) to demand the immediate release of those arrested, including Ejimakor and Kanu’s younger brother, Fineboy Kanu. He threatened to “mobilize and occupy” the FCT police command if they were not released.

Police spokesperson CSP Benjamin Hundeyin defended the use of tear gas, insisting that protesters violated a subsisting court order restricting demonstrations near the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and other sensitive locations.

“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate,” Hundeyin stated, adding that the police only acted after protesters blocked major roads.

Security was also intensified around Aso Villa, the Three Arms Zone, and the Federal Secretariat, with checkpoints and stop-and-search operations causing gridlock as far as Nyanya, Mararaba, and Kubwa.

In solidarity, shops owned by Igbos in Akure, Ondo State, were shut down, partially grounding commercial activities. Traders said the move was to show support for their “kinsman suffering in detention.”

The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) condemned the arrests and police brutality, describing the Tinubu-led government’s handling of protests as “worse than a military dictatorship.” IWA President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, urged the Inspector-General of Police to release all detained protesters immediately.

Reacting to the protest, Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga criticized Ejimakor for joining the demonstration, calling on legal regulatory bodies to sanction him for “unethical conduct” since Kanu’s trial is still ongoing.

Another presidential aide, Sunday Dare, accused Sowore of trying to use “mob agitation” to influence the judiciary, stating, “You cannot employ protest and civil unrest to demand the release of someone accused of terrorism whose case is still in court — not even in America.”

Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the crackdown, calling it “an attempt to suppress peaceful protests.” The rights group stressed that Nigerians have the constitutional right to assemble and express dissent peacefully.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021 and remains on trial for terrorism-related charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.”

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