Tension gripped Abuja on Monday as security operatives fired tear gas and shots into the air to disperse protesters demanding the release of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The demonstration, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, was led by rights activist Omoyele Sowore and coincided with the fifth anniversary of the #EndSARS movement.
Protesters had converged near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, chanting songs and holding placards demanding the IPOB leader’s freedom, when police and military operatives swooped in to break up the gathering.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as tear gas canisters exploded and demonstrators fled in different directions.
“We came peacefully, but they fired at us without warning. It was an unprovoked attack,” said one participant.
The demonstration went ahead despite an interim injunction issued last Friday by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred organisers from staging protests near sensitive government buildings.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, cited security risks around the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, and Eagle Square.
Police authorities had also warned against the protest, stressing that any attempt to march towards Aso Rock would be met with resistance. Despite these warnings, Sowore and his supporters insisted on proceeding, describing the planned action as a constitutional right.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief shortly after the incident, Sowore accused security agencies of attacking peaceful demonstrators.
“We informed the police ahead of time. There was no provocation from us. They arrived with over ten trucks, surrounded us, and began firing tear gas and live rounds. Some people, including Kanu’s younger brother and his lawyer, were arrested,” he said.
A heavy security presence was reported across Abuja’s central area, with officers blocking access to Unity Fountain, Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the Three Arms Zone.
Commuters faced long detours as major roads were barricaded. Even bystanders around the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Utako were caught in the crossfire of tear gas.
Police sources confirmed that several individuals were detained but declined to provide details. As of press time, no official statement had been issued regarding the number of arrests or casualties.
The latest agitation follows weeks of renewed calls for Kanu’s release by Southeast leaders, civil rights groups, and opposition figures. Earlier this month, Sowore and several political activists had announced plans for a nationwide protest on October 20, urging President Bola Tinubu’s administration to comply with court rulings ordering Kanu’s release.
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and other security agencies had declared detention facilities as “no-protest zones,” while the police warned that digital surveillance would be used to track online mobilisation.
Kanu, arrested in 2015 on treason charges and re-arrested in 2021 after fleeing Nigeria, remains in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). His lawyers insist that his continued detention is illegal and that his health has deteriorated. They have petitioned for his transfer to the National Hospital in Abuja.
Southeast governors and other political stakeholders continue to advocate for a political resolution, arguing that dialogue remains the most sustainable path to peace.
