Security operatives in Abuja launched a heavy crackdown on peaceful protesters on Monday, barricading the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Chapter Secretariat and firing tear gas and live bullets to disperse demonstrators calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, led by Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist, kicked off at the Central Business District (CBD) in the early hours of the morning but was quickly met with force.
BusinessDay reporter at the scene confirmed that heavily armed police and military officers sealed off access roads to major government buildings, including the National Assembly, Federal Secretariat, and Eagle Square effectively paralysing movement in central Abuja.
Amidst the chaos, police forces also cordoned off the NUJ Secretariat, preventing journalists from covering the protest freely and raising concerns about press freedom.
Protesters and passersby were caught in the melee, with several sustaining injuries as tear gas filled the air and live rounds were fired indiscriminately.
According to Sowore, security forces arrested multiple individuals, including Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, alongside other peaceful demonstrators and bystanders. “The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalise #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother, and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor. They were beaten and taken to the FCT Command. The police must release them immediately!” Sowore posted on X.
Read also: Transport hike, passengers stranded in Abuja amid #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest
Following the initial clampdown at the Transcorp Hilton axis, protesters regrouped near Chida Hotel in the Utako District, where another round of brutal dispersal occurred. Panic gripped the area as security agents stormed plazas, firing teargas and gunshots into the air. Traders and customers fled for safety, leaving businesses shuttered.
“We are not protesters. We were just inside our shops when police started firing live bullets and teargas into the plaza,” a shop owner identified as Kingsley IKe said. “Many people locked their shops and ran away. It was terrifying.”
A female protester pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to intervene. “We are not protesting against the government but against Southeast leaders delaying his release,” she said.
Earlier in the day, heavy security was already deployed to all major entry points into the city, Keffi–Abuja Expressway, Airport Road, and Dutse–Bwari road in anticipation of the protest.
Though traffic congestion later eased in some areas, armed security personnel maintained a visible presence, especially around Berger, Wuse, and Utako. Business activities remained subdued as tensions lingered.
Nnamdi Kanu has been held by the State Security Service (SSS) since 2021 and is currently on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja over terrorism-related charges linked to his separatist activities. Protesters are demanding his unconditional release.
As of press time, calm had yet to return fully to affected areas, and security patrols continued to dominate the streets of Nigeria’s capital.
