Security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), on Monday morning, fired teargas at commuters in the Central Business District of Abuja, as tensions mounted ahead of the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
The protest, spearheaded by human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, seeks the immediate release of detained leade of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Eyewitnesses said police officers fired multiple rounds of teargas canisters at people waiting for vehicles to their workplaces, forcing many to flee the area in panic. Major roads in the capital city were also reportedly blocked, causing heavy gridlock and confusion across several parts of the city.
In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Sowore alleged that security operatives had arrested several individuals, including Kanu’s family members and legal representatives.
“The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalize #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother, and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor, as well as innocent bystanders. They were beaten and taken to the FCT command. The police must release them immediately!” Sowore wrote.
As of the time of filing this report, the FCT Police Command had yet to issue an official statement regarding the teargassing incident or the reported arrests.
The development came days after the police warned against any form of protest in the capital, citing a Federal High Court order restraining groups from staging demonstrations in certain areas of Abuja.
Meanwhile, activists have vowed to continue their peaceful call for Kanu’s release, insisting that his prolonged detention requires a political rather than judicial solution.