A protest demanding the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu disrupted Abuja on Monday, leading to the arrest of eight people, including Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, and Fineboy Kanu, a relative.
The protest, part of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign, began near Transcorp Hilton and spread to key locations in the Federal Capital Territory.
Security forces deployed teargas to disperse protesters after they reportedly attempted to access restricted areas, citing a Federal High Court order.
FCT Police Command Spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrests and said all eight are currently held at the State CID.
He denied reports that live bullets were fired, stating that only teargas was used.
“Once investigations are completed, they will be prosecuted,” he said.
The police cited intelligence reports suggesting potential violence, referencing past protests that turned destructive.
In anticipation of unrest, heavy security presence locked down parts of Abuja, particularly around the Three Arms Zone, home to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and Supreme Court, leading to severe traffic jams.
Civil servants, traders, and commuters from Nyanya, Karu, Mararaba, and other suburbs were stranded due to road closures and stop-and-search operations.
A city-wide advisory warned workers to avoid the central area, further disrupting business and government activities.
The demonstration, led by activist Omoyele Sowore, moved through various districts including Berger Junction and Utako, where police again dispersed the crowd.
Protesters carried placards reading “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” and chanted solidarity songs.
Sowore later condemned the arrests via his official X account, threatening further protests if those detained were not released.
In solidarity, residents across Enugu, Anambra, Abia and Ondo states stayed home.
In Enugu, most businesses, schools, and banks remained shut.
In Awka, markets like Eke-Awka did not open, while banks operated minimally.
In Umuahia and Aba, bus parks and transport terminals were unusually empty, with a visible security presence.
While Akure saw no major demonstrations, shops and businesses in commercial areas remained closed in silent support.
The planned hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja was stalled as the court building remained locked.
The hearing was expected to determine whether a prior restraining order against protests should be lifted.
Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga criticized Ejimakor’s participation in the protest, calling it a breach of legal ethics, especially given the ongoing treason trial of Nnamdi Kanu.
He urged legal authorities to sanction the lawyer.
Another presidential aide, Sunday Dare, warned that street protests should not interfere with judicial processes, calling such tactics “counterproductive and harmful to the rule of law.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos accused opposition parties of orchestrating the protest, likening it to “a Biblical case of the voice of Esau but the hand of Jacob.”
A group called the Nigeria First Project Initiative called for Sowore’s repatriation to the U.S, accusing him of being a threat to national security.
Nnamdi Kanu has been in custody since his 2021 arrest and extradition, facing charges of treasonable felony.
His prolonged detention has remained a major source of agitation among his supporters and human rights groups.
