Security operatives in Abuja on Monday dispersed demonstrators calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), using tear gas before the protest could fully begin.
The rally, tagged #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow, was planned to hold at multiple locations, including Transcorp Hilton, but was halted by heavy police presence.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore was among the early arrivals before security agents moved in. Eyewitnesses reported that officers fired tear gas canisters to break up the crowd and scatter bystanders as tension rose around the protest grounds.
Security deployment across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened ahead of the demonstration. Armed personnel from the military, police, and Department of State Services (DSS) were stationed at strategic points such as the Three Arms Zone, Unity Fountain, Eagle Square, and roads leading to the Presidential Villa.
The crackdown followed an interim order issued on Friday by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which restricted protests near sensitive government areas.
The order, secured through an ex parte application by the Nigeria Police Force, banned public gatherings around the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, and Eagle Square pending further hearing.
Despite the restriction, organisers under the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign vowed to proceed with peaceful demonstrations across Abuja and other cities. Damilare Adenola, director of mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, said, “Our right to peaceful assembly is protected by the Constitution. We will not be intimidated.”
Legal counsel to the organisers, Maxwell Opara, argued that his clients were not served any court order. “The police were notified. Their role is to provide security, not to stop peaceful protesters,” he said, insisting the protest remained lawful.
Sowore, who served as convener, said legal, medical, and media teams had been deployed to monitor the protest and document any abuse. He warned that any use of force by security agents would be recorded and challenged in court.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also deployed officers to safeguard public infrastructure. FCT Commandant Olusola Odumosu cautioned protesters against vandalism, stating, “The corps will not tolerate damage to property in the name of protest.”
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun directed operatives to enforce the court order and maintain order in restricted zones. As tensions simmered, protesters reportedly regrouped and were seen moving toward the Utako district of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The events highlight a growing clash between Nigeria’s security enforcement and citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful protest—an issue that continues to test the balance between state authority and civic freedoms.
