Tension erupted in Abuja on Monday as police disrupted the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, arresting several demonstrators, including Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother and his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor.
Filmmaker Ajemba Stanley was among those arrested by police officers in Abuja for participating in the ongoing protests demanding the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Stanley confirmed his arrest in a post shared on his official Instagram account on Monday, stating that he was detained alongside other protesters and taken to the Utako Police Command.
“I just got arrested now by some group of Nigerian police officers at Utako by Chida Event Centre for the Free Nnamdi Kanu protest. All we need is freedom for Nnamdi Kanu,” he wrote.
The protest, which began in the early hours of Monday, saw demonstrators converge around key government areas in the Federal Capital Territory demanding Kanu’s unconditional release from detention.
Reports indicate that anti-riot police officers fired tear gas canisters at protesters gathered near the Federal Ministry of Finance as they attempted to march toward the Force Headquarters.
Witnesses said several major roads connecting strategic parts of the FCT including Dutse Road, Lugbe, Mararaba, and Kubwa were barricaded as early as 5 a.m., leading to heavy traffic gridlock across the city.
The rally, which began peacefully at the Unity Fountain, was one of several nationwide demonstrations demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). However, the situation quickly spiralled after participants began marching toward the Federal Secretariat, prompting police to deploy tear gas and fire live rounds into the air to scatter the crowd.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as protesters ran for cover. One participant, identified as S. Yusuf accused the police of using “live bullets” on peaceful demonstrators.
“We came out peacefully to demand justice and the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but the government responded with violence,” Yusuf said. “This is not democracy—it’s oppression.”
Human rights campaigner Omoyele Sowore, who led parts of the Abuja rally, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that both Kanu’s brother and lawyer were arrested alongside several bystanders.
“The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalize #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor,” Sowore wrote, calling for their immediate release.
Witnesses also reported multiple injuries, though the exact number of casualties was not immediately confirmed.
The crackdown came despite a Federal High Court ruling last week that cleared the protest to proceed. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon had dismissed a police application to ban the demonstration, affirming that peaceful assembly is a constitutional right under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, provided the protesters remain non-violent.
Following the incident, Amnesty International Nigeria and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) announced they were monitoring developments closely. Amnesty said it was “deeply concerned by reports of excessive force” and urged the Nigerian authorities to ensure accountability for any rights violations.
As of press time, neither the Federal Capital Territory Police Command nor the Department of State Services, DSS had issued an official statement.
Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since 2021 following his re-arrest in Kenya and extraordinary rendition to Nigeria, remains at the centre of one of the country’s most polarising legal sagas.
Although acquitted by the Court of Appeal in 2022, the Federal Government’s appeal has kept him detained—fuelling tensions across the South-East and igniting fresh calls for his unconditional release.
