Police officers on Monday dispersed protesters demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in the Utako area of Abuja. This Release Nnamdi Kanu protest gathered attention from locals and media.
The demonstrators had earlier fled after police fired tear gas canisters at them near the Transcorp Hilton and adjoining streets. These were in Maitama. They later regrouped at Utako to continue their protest. However, armed security operatives again moved in and forcefully dispersed them during the ongoing Release Nnamdi Kanu protest.
The protesters comprised civil rights activists and members of pro-democracy groups. They were part of the #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow campaign. This campaign, like the Release Nnamdi Kanu protest, called on the Federal Government to comply with the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment. This judgment discharged and acquitted Kanu.
The heavy deployment of police and repeated use of tear gas caused panic in the Maitama area earlier in the day. This forced commuters, traders, and motorists to run for safety amidst the protests.
When the protesters reconvened at Utako, they resumed chanting solidarity songs and displaying banners. The Release Nnamdi Kanu protest was persistent even as security agents again dispersed them with tear gas.
Following the incident, security presence across the Federal Capital Territory was tightened. Soldiers, police officers, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) were stationed at key locations. These included Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the Three Arms Zone.
Nnamdi Kanu Detention
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021. He was re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria after fleeing the country in 2017 following his earlier bail.
Kanu faces multiple charges, including treasonable felony, over his campaign for the secession of southeastern Nigeria to form an independent Biafran state. His continued detention has sparked widespread controversy, with human rights groups, political figures, and international observers accusing the Federal Government of disobeying court orders.
In October 2022, the Court of Appeal in Abuja discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges, ruling that his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria violated international law. However, the Federal Government refused to release him, citing the need to pursue further legal action at the Supreme Court.