Omoyele Sowore, the human rights activist who organized the #Free Nnamdi Kanu protest, has claimed that the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies launched an unprovoked violent attack on the protesters.
Sowore insisted that the demonstrators were being peaceful and orderly as he had promised, yet security agents still opened fire on them.
The protest on Monday, October 20, was a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is currently being held by the Department of State Services (DSS) under government orders.
While the plan was to march to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, police officers quickly blocked the route and used teargas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Reacting, Sowore said: “They did not particularly have any leadership; there were about 10 trucks that arrived at the same time as soon as we started the protest and people were coming around.
“There was no provocation on our part; it was orderly and peaceful; it was an unprovoked attack from the police force and a combined team of security people.”
Persecondnews recalls that the Nigerian Police, had in a statement on Saturday, October 18, warned organizers of the protest against demonstrating within the Presidential Villa grounds.
The Force, in a statement released by its Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, vowed that anyone who violates the order will be arrested and prosecuted.
The warning came amidst a Federal High Court, Abuja, ruling on Friday, October 17, in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, which restrained the organizers from carrying out protests around the Presidential Villa and its environs, as well as the National Assembly Complex, Force Headquarters, the Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
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