Key Points

• Police halted the Release Nnamdi Kanu Now rally after protesters regrouped in Abuja.

• Tear-gas and water cannons used as tensions rise.

• Activists vow to continue the Release Nnamdi Kanu Now campaign.

ABUJA — On Monday, police in Nigeria’s capital broke up a protest calling for the release of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu. They used tear gas and a large police presence to stop the protest before it could get out of hand.

The protest, which was called “Release Nnamdi Kanu Now,” was the latest in a series of protests asking for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Eyewitnesses said that after being stopped from gathering near the Transcorp Hilton area, protesters regrouped at Unity Fountain. The crowd, which included well-known activist Omoyele Sowore, chanted pro-Kanu songs, carried signs, and tried to march towards the Federal Secretariat before police stepped in.

As the crowds grow, security forces move in

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, led by Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh, was in charge of the operation.

Armoured cars and patrol vans blocked the roads around Unity Fountain and the Three Arms Zone. Police used tear gas and water cannons to break up the protests. Some people ran away towards the Maitama and Wuse II districts.

“We acted within the law to stop an illegal gathering that could have disturbed the peace,” Igweh told reporters in Abuja. “We won’t put up with protests that put national security at risk.”

But lawyers and groups that protect people’s rights said the response was too harsh. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Nnamdi Kanu’s main lawyer, said, “The protesters were peaceful.” “What we saw was another violation of our constitutional rights to free speech and assembly.” He also said that some of the protesters were hurt and a few were arrested for a short time before being let go later in the day.

More and more people are calling for Nnamdi Kanu’s release

Since June 2021, Nnamdi Kanu, who is both British and Nigerian, has been in jail. He was extradited from Kenya and charged with terrorism and treasonable felony. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court is in charge of his trial, which has been delayed many times and faced legal challenges.

According to a report by the Punch news, Chris Nwokobia, the leader of the South-East Forum, and former Anambra State Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife have both urged President Bola Tinubu to think about a political solution to the case. They say that keeping people in jail for a long time could make regional problems worse.

Nwokobia said in a previous statement, “Letting Kanu go will calm nerves and start a conversation again.”

The Federal Government says that due process must be followed. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation, said recently that the government backs the independence of the courts and will follow their decisions.

Activists say they will keep up the pressure for Release Nnamdi Kanu Now

Even though the police were cracking down, protesters promised to keep moving across states and online as part of the Release Nnamdi Kanu Now campaign.

Sowore, an activist and presidential candidate, said the government was “criminalising dissent” and that civil rights groups would ask international organisations to step in.

Analysts say that using heavy-handed methods could cause more unrest in Nigeria’s southeast, where IPOB still has a lot of support. Political analysts say that how President Tinubu handles Kanu’s case is still a big test of his approach to human rights.

Monday night, things slowly got back to normal in Abuja, but calls for Kanu’s release continued to be heard on social media. For a lot of the protesters, it was clear what they wanted to say: the Release Nnamdi Kanu Now movement won’t back down.