Police to Arraign Eight Over ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu’ Protest in Abuja

Police will on Tuesday arraign eight people arrested during Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja. Among those detained are Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, one of the lawyers representing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and Fineboy Kanu, a relative of Nnamdi Kanu.

Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the arrests, saying the suspects would face prosecution once investigations were concluded. He dismissed social media claims that security operatives fired live bullets at demonstrators, explaining that officers only used teargas in line with standard operating procedures to disperse protesters who attempted to cross into restricted areas. Hundeyin added that the police had obtained a court order barring protesters from accessing sensitive parts of the Federal Capital Territory, including the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly. He said the decision to enforce the order was based on intelligence suggesting that the protest could turn violent.

Abuja witnessed a sweeping security lockdown as combined teams of soldiers, police officers and operatives of the Department of State Services mounted barricades on major routes leading into the city centre. The operation caused gridlock across the capital, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours. Access to the Three Arms Zone, which houses the Presidential Villa, National Assembly and Supreme Court, was heavily restricted. Civil servants and visitors with valid entry permits were redirected to alternative parking areas, while several roads, including the Keffi-Abuja Expressway and Airport Road, were partially closed.

The protest began around 7 a.m. near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, with demonstrators carrying placards reading “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now.” As the group moved toward the Maitama District, police fired teargas to disperse them. Eyewitnesses said Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow movement who led the demonstration, was seen fleeing the scene with a handkerchief over his nose. Ejimakor, Fineboy Kanu and six others were arrested and taken to the FCT Command Criminal Investigation Department in Garki. Sowore later condemned the arrests on X, calling them illegal and demanding their immediate release.

In Lagos, police mounted a show of force at strategic points such as Lekki Toll Gate, Ojota, Maryland and Gani Fawehinmi Park, dispersing small groups of protesters. Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh said the exercise was meant to reassure residents of their safety and to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

Muted demonstrations were recorded in parts of Enugu, Anambra, Abia and Ondo States. In Enugu, markets, schools and banks remained closed, while government offices operated with minimal staff. Similar scenes were reported in Awka, Umuahia and Aba, where major motor parks and business areas were deserted. In Akure, heavy security patrols were observed across key commercial districts, although no active protest took place.

A scheduled hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja on the police motion seeking to restrict protests in sensitive areas did not hold as the court building was locked. Justice Mohammed Umar had earlier ordered Sowore and others to show cause why the interim order restraining protests near the Aso Rock Villa should not be vacated.

The Presidency reacted sharply to the protest. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticised Aloy Ejimakor for joining the demonstration, describing his conduct as unethical. Onanuga said it was inappropriate for a lawyer to participate in a protest concerning a case still pending in court and urged legal authorities to consider disciplinary action. Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, cautioned Sowore against using street demonstrations to influence judicial proceedings, stressing that justice should be pursued in courtrooms, not through public agitation.

The Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress and a civic group, Nigeria First Project Initiative, also condemned the protest. The APC alleged that opposition elements were behind it, while Nigeria First called for Sowore’s repatriation to the United States, accusing him of endangering national security.

Nnamdi Kanu, arrested and extradited to Nigeria in June 2021, remains in custody at the Department of State Services facility in Abuja, where he is facing charges of treasonable felony. Calls for his release have continued to stir tension across the country, particularly in the South-East and the Federal Capital Territory.