The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has defended the use of tear gas by its operatives to disperse protesters in Abuja who were calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
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The demonstration, held across parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) including the Three Arms Zone, Maitama, and Jabi, saw protesters demanding Kanu’s release from prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS). Police operatives reportedly fired tear gas canisters when demonstrators attempted to march toward the Three Arms Zone—home to key institutions such as the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and Court of Appeal.
The police response drew condemnation from Amnesty International Nigeria, which described it as “an attempt to suppress peaceful protests.”
In a statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, Amnesty International said:
“Amnesty International receives disturbing reports of attempts to crack down on peaceful protests holding in Abuja, calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
The rights group urged the Nigerian authorities to ensure that security agencies respect citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both domestic and international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Responding to the criticism, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, defended the police action, saying it was carried out in compliance with a court order restricting protests in certain sensitive areas of the FCT.
“Police tear-gassed protesters attempting to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention of a court order restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way,” Hundeyin stated in a post on X.
“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate. We did not block the road but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters to enable other Nigerians easy passage to their respective destinations.”
Meanwhile, the protest led to the arrest of Aloy Ejimakor,Esq one of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, alongside Fineboy Kanu, a relative of the IPOB leader, and several others. Their detention has sparked further outrage from rights advocates and political activists.
Human rights activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the immediate release of Ejimakor and the other detained protesters.
Condemning the arrests on X, Sowore wrote:
“The @FCT_PoliceNG is instructed to release Barrister @AloyEjimakor, Fineboy Kanu, and others illegally arrested, tortured, and currently being forced into detention over #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest immediately, or we will mobilize the entire crew now on the street to the FCT command and occupy their office!”
However, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has called for disciplinary action against Ejimakor for participating in the protest, arguing that his involvement violated legal ethics since Kanu’s case is still before a competent court.
Onanuga wrote on X:
“I spotted Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, among the small group of protesters mobilised in Abuja by Omoyele Sowore. I wonder what Mr. Ejimakor was thinking when he decided to join this shambolic protest. As a lawyer, he should be aware of the principle of sub judice, particularly in relation to the ongoing treason case before the court.”
He accused Ejimakor of engaging in “extra-legal tactics” rather than focusing on preparing a strong legal defence for his client.
Onanuga urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to investigate Ejimakor’s conduct and consider appropriate sanctions for what he described as “unethical behaviour.”
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021, facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja. His prolonged detention continues to fuel protests and renewed calls for his release across the country.
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