Civil society organisations in the country have condemned the crackdown and arrest of a few protesters calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
LEADERSHIP reports that the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow movement protest, which was witnessed in some states, including Abuja, is calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Security operatives dispersed the protesters when they gathered at different locations in Abuja to protest the continued detention of Kanu.
Kanu was first arrested in October 2015 on terrorism charges, but he jumped bail in 2017 and left the country after a military raid on his home. The court later revoked his bail in March 2019 and ordered his re-arrest.
In 2021, the federal government announced his re-arrest; however, in 2022, an appeal court ordered that the charges against him be dropped, but this was overturned by the Supreme Court the following year.
The convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former presidential candidate of African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, who led the protesters as early as 6:50am around the headquarters of the Women Affairs ministry, insisted that Kanu be released, saying it is injustice that Kanu is still in detention while President Bola Tinubu is granting pardon to murders, drug barons and other criminals.
In the central area of Abuja, the protesters fled after combined security forces fired teargas canisters to disperse them.
Security forces drawn from the Nigerian Police, Guards Brigade, Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had beefed up security around the Presidential Villa, Abuja, since Sunday.
They mounted roadblocks at strategic places leading to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Court of Appeal Headquarters, Force Headquarters and the popular Eagle Square.
Meanwhile, policemen arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother Emmanuel Kanu, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, during the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest.
Sowore, who revealed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, alleged that the police used live ammunition and force against protesters demanding Kanu’s release.
He wrote, “The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalise #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor, as well as innocent bystanders. They were beaten and taken to the FCT Command. The police must release them immediately.”
There was also a public outcry as security operatives blocked major roads leading to the city centre, resulting in heavy gridlock in and around Abuja in the morning.
The Nigerian Police Force had warned against holding protests in restricted areas of the capital.
Force PRO, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said a Federal High Court order restrained groups from staging demonstrations within or around key government buildings, including the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
Hundeyin also said that live bullets were not used on protesters, but confirmed that the men of the Police used teargas.
It would be noted that IPOB was banned as a terrorist organisation in 2017, and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, has been accused of killings and other acts of violence in recent years.
CSOs Condemn Arrest of #FreeNnamdiKanuNow Protesters
Expectedly, civil society organisations (CSOs) have condemned the crackdown and arrest of several #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Abuja, the head of two prominent CSOs — the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria — Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), decried the use of force and unlawful arrests against peaceful demonstrators.
He remarked that if the government could exhibit such strength against criminals and terrorists terrorising Nigerians, the public would commend the efforts of the security agencies.
“If anybody or group of people does anything not permitted by our laws, the government should use legal means to bring the situation under control.
“But we do not support the killing of people in the name of dispersing protests. We do not support the use of force or unlawful arrests against people demanding their rights. We believe in dialogue. We believe in negotiation.
“I believe that using force to prevent people from expressing their rights only creates conditions that drive them to act out improperly,” he said.
Also condemning the arrests, the Grassroots Centre for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO) criticised the detention of peaceful protesters who had gathered to express their discontent with the perceived injustice in the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
GRACO’s executive director, Armsfree Ajanaku, told LEADERSHIP that part of the protesters’ grievance is the flouting of court orders in the case of Kanu.
Similarly, the CREAP Africa Initiative strongly condemned the arrest and harassment of peaceful protesters by security operatives in various parts of the country.
In a statement sent to LEADERSHIP, the executive director, Sylvanus Udoenoh, said it was deeply troubling that citizens are being brutalised for exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly, despite their legitimate grievances.
NUJ Condemns Manhandling, Arrest Of AFP Journalist
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has strongly condemned the unlawful arrest and assault of Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist, Mr John Okunyomih, by security operatives during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, the Council Secretary, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, described the arrest and harassment of the journalist as:
“A gross violation of press freedom and an affront to democratic principles.”
Okunyomih was reportedly manhandled by armed soldiers and police officers deployed to disperse protesters calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. His professional camera and other equipment were also damaged while he was covering the protest near Unity Fountain.
More Groups Condemn Use of Force, Arrests
CISLAC has expressed deep concern over reports of arrests and the excessive use of force by security personnel during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
In a phone interview in Abuja, CISLAC Programme Officer, Gimba Suleiman, stated that while the organisation has not taken a formal stance on the legal proceedings involving Mr Kanu, it reaffirms the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and press freedom — all enshrined in Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, domesticated into Nigerian law.
“Peaceful protest is not a crime,” Suleiman said. “It is an essential civic tool through which citizens express dissent, demand accountability, and influence governance in a democratic society.”
He condemned the reported arrests of activists, legal practitioners, journalists, and bystanders, describing the actions as a violation of Nigeria’s international legal obligations and a threat to democratic values.
Suleiman further emphasised that such incidents undermine public trust in state institutions. While acknowledging the duty of law enforcement agencies to maintain public order, he urged them to operate within legal and human rights frameworks, ensuring proportionality and accountability.
CISLAC also denounced the reported assault on News Central journalists by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), insisting that the media must be free to operate without fear, intimidation, or violence.
Use of Force on Protesters Undermines Democracy —Okeke
Dr Christian Okeke, a political science lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, also condemned the government’s continued use of force against peaceful protesters.
He described it as a contradiction of democratic values and a threat to justice, fairness, and national unity.
Reacting to the government’s handling of the recent #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja, Dr Okeke lamented the steady erosion of civil liberties in a country that claims to practise democracy.
“It is unfortunate that civil or peaceful protest is increasingly difficult — if not impossible — in a supposed democratic state.
“We’ve gone from needing approval for protests, to security agencies actively obtaining court orders to restrain them, and now to the deployment of maximum force as a standard response,” he said.
Citizens Have a Right to Protest Peacefully — WIELD-I
The coordinator of the Women’s Inclusion, Empowerment and Leadership Development Initiative (WIELD-I), Comrade Okeke Amarachi, also weighed in on the matter, emphasising the dual responsibilities of both citizens and security agencies in maintaining democratic standards and public order.
“As civil society actors, I must reiterate that citizens have a constitutional right to express themselves and protest peacefully — but this must be done within the bounds of the law,” she said.
“At the same time, security operatives also have a duty to maintain order — but this must be done with restraint and respect for human rights.”
Her remarks followed reports of altercations between demonstrators and law enforcement during the Abuja protest.
Free-Nnamdi-Kanu-Protest Shuts Down Anambra
Social and commercial activities came to a halt in Anambra State yesterday following a protest led by Omoyele Sowore demanding the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu has been on trial for alleged treasonable felony and has been detained cumulatively for over seven years in a facility operated by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The Sowore-led protest triggered widespread closures of markets and businesses across major cities in the state, including Awka (the state capital), Onitsha (commercial hub), Nnewi, Ekwulobia, and Ihiala.
LEADERSHIP’s findings confirmed that even remote villages observed the shutdown.
At the Awka South Local Government Area, a campaign rally organised to garner support for the re-election of the incumbent governor and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, recorded a poor turnout and was hastily concluded.
A trader at Eke Awka Market, Ekene Nwosu, told LEADERSHIP that the market’s vice-chairman had informed them that there would be a protest on Monday to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
All commercial banks and petrol stations in Awka remained closed. Public and private schools were also shut, with students staying home.
The situation was mirrored in other cities across the state. The main roads in Awka — notably Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue (Old Road) and the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway — witnessed minimal human and vehicular traffic.
American Veterans Demand Release Of Kanu’s Brother, Lawyer, Others
The American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has strongly condemned the arrest of Prince Emmanuel Kanu — the younger brother of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu — his lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, and other supporters during Monday’s peaceful protest in Abuja demanding Kanu’s release.
In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja by AVID president, Dr. Sylvester Onyia, the group described the arrests and reported use of teargas on demonstrators as “a grave assault on democracy and the rule of law.”
According to Dr. Onyia, the protesters had gathered peacefully in Abuja and several other cities across the country on Monday to demand compliance with court orders freeing Kanu, who has been in detention since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in June 2021.
“Peaceful protest is not a crime,” Onyia said. “Even during military regimes, Nigerians expressed their grievances through protests.
“It is therefore unacceptable that under a democratic government, citizens are being teargassed, arrested, and humiliated for exercising their constitutional rights,” he said.
Onyia called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure accountability and direct law enforcement agencies to respect the rule of law and citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly.
“Police teargassing peaceful protesters undermines democracy. President Tinubu must call for accountability and demonstrate that his administration upholds the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution,” the AVID president stated.
AVID reiterated that it stands firmly against any form of arbitrary arrest or intimidation of peaceful citizens. The group emphasized that the call for Kanu’s release is rooted in legality, noting that the Court of Appeal, in its October 13, 2022 judgement, discharged and acquitted him, declaring his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria as a violation of both local and international laws.
“The Court of Appeal has already made it clear that Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention is illegal,” Onyia added.
“We therefore demand his immediate and unconditional release, alongside his brother, his lawyer, and every supporter arrested for standing on the side of justice.”
The Monday protest, which drew participation from various civil society groups and diaspora-based organisations, was part of a growing campaign calling on the federal government to obey court rulings and respect human rights in the ongoing case involving Kanu.
AVID said it would continue to advocate for peace, justice, and dialogue, urging the government to engage constructively rather than respond with repression.
“We are veterans who fought for liberty and justice,” Onyia said. “We know that peace cannot be achieved by silencing dissent. The world is watching how Nigeria handles this case — it is a test of the nation’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.”
Justice Belongs In Court, Not On Streets, Presidency Tells Sowore
Meanwhile, the Presidency has cautioned activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, against using street protests to influence judicial proceedings, stressing that justice is determined in courtrooms, not through public agitation.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, gave the warning in a post on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD on Monday while reacting to the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest led by Sowore in Abuja.
Dare described the demonstration as “counterproductive” and a violation of the principles of the rule of law, insisting that no amount of public pressure or street action can override judicial processes.
“Protests, threats, attempts at mob actions, and inflammatory rhetoric do not aid the judicial process. Instead, they hinder it, creating unnecessary tension and undermining the rule of law,”
He accused Sowore of repeatedly attempting to use public agitation to sway judicial outcomes, describing such tactics as “outdated and counterproductive in a modern democracy.”
“You cannot employ protest and civil unrest to demand the release of someone accused of terrorism and whose case is still in court. Not even in America,” Dare stated.
According to him, the case involving the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, predates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and remains under the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts.
“This administration respects the independence of the judiciary and will not interfere in ongoing legal proceedings,” he affirmed.
Dare emphasised that the Tinubu government remains fully committed to upholding justice, law, and constitutional order, but warned that “freedom and democracy have their limits.”
“Testing these limits will invite the full application of the law as clearly stated,” he warned.
Reiterating the President’s position, Dare said the judiciary must be allowed to perform its constitutional duties without intimidation or interference.
Police Teargas Protesters in Rivers
Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command yesterday fired teargas canisters to disperse suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who were gathering for the #FreeNnamdiKANUNow protest in Port Harcourt.
The protesters were gathering at a point along the Olu Obasanjo Road in the Rivers State capital, when policemen stormed the area, forcing them to abandon the protest and flee to safety.
