Some streets of Nigeria’s capital boiled with tension on Monday, October 20, as a peaceful protest demanding the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, spiraled into chaos — with gunshots, teargas, and arrests turning Abuja’s city centre into a no-go zone.
In other parts of the Federal Capital City, like Wuye, Jabi, Utako, Guzape, and Kukwaba districts, there was relative calm as of 1.00 p.m as residents moved about cautiously. Others could not venture out to offices from satellite towns due to the presence of security operatives in the core of the central business district.
Organised by fiery activist Omoyele Sowore and Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration kicked off near the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) headquarters in Maitama but was swiftly met with brute force.
What began as a peaceful march — with protesters waving placards and chanting “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now!” — descended into bedlam as security operatives opened fire into the air and launched teargas to scatter the crowd.
“There was shouting, then gunshots — everyone just ran,” an eyewitness told reporters, requesting anonymity.
Online videos captured the mayhem: demonstrators sprinting in panic as armed officers closed in. Some protesters were injured in the stampede. But the crackdown didn’t stop the movement’s leaders from pushing forward.
In a twist, Ejimakor himself was arrested alongside other protest leaders. In a defiant post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
“We’ve just been arrested. Myself, Prince Emanuel and others. We are at FCT Command CID. No. 1 Zaria Street, Garki 2.”
The Nigerian Police Force doubled down, citing a court order barring protests near sensitive zones — including the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, and Force Headquarters. The order, granted Friday by Justice M.G. Umar, stemmed from a police suit against Sowore and four others.
Police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin issued a stark warning:
“Protesters must respect the law. Restricted areas are off-limits. Anyone inciting violence or breaching public order will be arrested and prosecuted.”
Yet Sowore, never one to back down, hit back hard. Calling the court order a “sham,” he argued it was never legally served and was therefore unenforceable.
“There is no valid court order restricting this protest. Our right to peaceful assembly is non-negotiable,” he said on X, promising legal firepower with a 115-strong legal team poised to challenge any court action.
He accused the authorities of hypocrisy and double standards — pointing out that pro-government demonstrators had been allowed to march freely for three consecutive days without court interference.
Meanwhile, tension gripped the city like a vice.
Entire districts around the Federal Secretariat, National Assembly, and Central Business District were deserted as security forces rolled out armoured vehicles, set up roadblocks, and unleashed tear gas on would-be protesters. Even court activities were frozen — with Federal High Court rooms eerily locked and judges nowhere to be found.
Elsewhere, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) declared all prisons nationwide “Red Zones,” warning that anyone approaching correctional facilities during or after the protest would be treated as a threat to national security.
The clampdown underscores just how contentious Kanu’s continued detention remains. Despite multiple court orders for his release, the IPOB leader has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his dramatic 2021 extradition from Kenya. He faces charges of treason and terrorism.
While the government insists his detention is a matter of national security, critics say the refusal to obey court rulings shatters the rule of law and deepens distrust in Nigeria’s justice system.
Now, with protests spreading and the capital on edge, many fear Monday’s showdown may just be the beginning of a broader national reckoning.
“This is not just about Nnamdi Kanu,” one protester shouted while fleeing tear gas. “It’s about justice. It’s about Nigeria.”
📍 Key Developments:
• Gunfire & Teargas: Security forces fire shots, disperse protesters in Abuja.
• Arrests: Kanu’s lawyer Aloy Ejimakor and others detained.
• Court Showdown: Sowore, others challenge “illegal” protest ban.
• Security Lockdown: Abuja city centre deserted, courts shuttered.
• Red Zones Declared: Correctional centres on lockdown amid fears of prison breaches.
■ More to come as this developing story unfolds. Stay with us.
