The Nigeria Police Force has justified its use of tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Abuja demanding the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), drawing sharp criticism from international rights group Amnesty International.
The protest, which took place across parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) including Maitama, Jabi, and the high-security Three Arms Zone, was organised to call for Kanu’s release from prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Tensions escalated when protesters attempted to march toward the Three Arms Zone, home to the Presidential Villa, the National Assembly, and the Court of Appeal. Police officers responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd
Amnesty International Nigeria swiftly condemned the police response, describing it as an infringement on the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the organisation said:
“Amnesty International receives disturbing reports of attempts to crack down on peaceful protests holding in Abuja, calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.”
“People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest.
Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
The group urged the Nigerian government to uphold both domestic and international human rights obligations, citing the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
They further called for an immediate halt to any form of intimidation or crackdown against protesters and advised the authorities to engage constructively with the demonstrators’ grievances.
In response to the backlash, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, defended the police’s actions.
In a post on his X handle, he said the police acted within the law and cited an existing court order restricting protests near certain high-security zones.
“Police tear-gassed protesters attempting to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention of a court order restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way,” Hundeyin stated.
“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate.”
‘We did not block the road but cleared it after protesters obstructed it, to ensure other Nigerians could move freely.”
Nnamdi Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021.
He is facing multiple terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
