Amnesty International, Sowore condemn Police clampdown on #FreeNnamdiKanu protesters

...as Police defend action, accusse protesters of violating Court order

By Denis Matthew and Obasola Olatune

The alleged use of live bullets and tear gas by security operatives to disperse peaceful demonstrators calling for the release of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja on Monday has drawn sharp condemnation from Amnesty International Nigeria and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

The protest, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanu, reportedly began peacefully in front of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel before being forcefully disrupted by a team of heavily armed police officers.

Sowore, who participated in the demonstration, recounted on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that security operatives arrived in approximately 10 patrol trucks, firing tear gas and live ammunition at protesters without provocation.

"Suddenly, from nowhere, they started shooting at us—tear gas and even live bullets. Luckily, nobody was hit, but they were shooting all around us,” Sowore alleged.

He further claimed that several protesters were arrested and beaten before being taken to the FCT Police Command, including Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother and his lawyer.

Following the initial dispersal, witnesses reported that the protesters regrouped at Utako, only to be dispersed again by armed officers, causing panic among residents and motorists.

The Nigeria Police Force defended its actions, insisting that officers acted within the law and strictly in compliance with a valid court order that restricts protests near sensitive government installations.

Force spokesperson, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified via his verified X handle that the police only used tear gas to disperse protesters who attempted to march toward Aso Villa, which is a clear contravention of a court order restricting demonstrations near the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.

“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate,” Hundeyin stated. He also addressed road blockage claims, explaining that officers "did NOT block the road but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters," a measure taken to enable other citizens easy passage.

Reacting, Amnesty International Nigeria denounced the police action as a “violation of citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly.”

In a statement on its official X handle, the rights group described receiving "disturbing reports of attempts to crack down on peaceful protests."

Amnesty International urged Nigerian authorities to immediately halt the crackdown and engage with the protesters’ demands in line with domestic and international human rights laws, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, facing terrorism-related charges. His continued detention, despite multiple court orders granting him bail, has sparked waves of public outrage and renewed agitation for his release.