With the clock ticking down to the explosive #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protests set to rock Nigeria’s capital on Monday, October 20, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has raised the alarm—loud and clear.
In a no-nonsense security alert posted Friday, the embassy warned American citizens to brace for serious disruptions—and the real possibility of violence—as demonstrators take to the streets, demanding the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Expect roadblocks. Expect clashes. Expect chaos,” the embassy implied in its stark advisory, urging U.S. nationals to stay far from the protest flashpoints, particularly around Eagle Square and the Central Business District.
“The Embassy advises all U.S. citizens to avoid this area and to severely limit all movement throughout the city,” the statement read, painting a picture of a capital city on edge.
It didn’t stop there.
In an unusual move, the embassy recommended that children in Abuja skip school and that domestic workers who live outside the capital stay home on protest day. That’s how serious they’re taking this.
The upcoming protest is the brainchild of fiery activist and former presidential hopeful Omoyele Sowore, who took to X (formerly Twitter) on October 9 to announce what he called a “historic and peaceful” march straight to the gates of Aso Rock.
His demand? The immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the controversial head of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who’s been locked up since June 2021 after his dramatic, disputed extradition from Kenya. Kanu is currently facing terrorism charges in Abuja’s Federal High Court.
