SECURITY operatives in Abuja today used tear gas to disperse protesters calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The demonstrators, who initially gathered around the Maitama area, were forced to flee after police fired multiple rounds of tear gas at them near the Transcorp Hilton and surrounding streets.
Undeterred, they later regrouped at Utako to continue their protest under the banner of the #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow campaign.
The movement—comprising civil rights activists and pro-democracy advocates—seeks to compel the Federal Government to implement the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment, which discharged and acquitted Kanu of all charges.
However, as the protesters resumed their chants and displayed banners at the Utako junction, armed police officers again intervened, dispersing the crowd with more tear gas canisters.
The chaos caused panic in the area, with commuters, traders, and motorists scampering for safety.
In response, security presence across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been significantly heightened.
Soldiers, police officers, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have been deployed to key locations, including Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, the Three Arms Zone, and Berger Roundabout, where a gun truck was sighted by journalists.
Reports from the scene, revealed that the protest has further intensified calls for justice and compliance with court rulings regarding Kanu’s detention.