Human rights activist and convener of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, was forced to flee Monday morning as security operatives opened fire and released tear gas to disperse protesters in Abuja.
DAILY GAZETTE reports that heavily armed personnel from both the police and military moved in around 7 am, taking control of the protest grounds near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, where demonstrators had gathered to begin a planned march to the Presidential Villa (Aso Rock).
A viral video from the scene shows Sowore running alongside other protesters as loud gunshots echo in the background and clouds of tear gas fill the air.
The protest was organized to demand the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in DSS custody since June 2021.
Despite a court injunction barring demonstrations near sensitive government sites, the protesters vowed to proceed peacefully.
Details shortly…
