By Jane Okafor, Abuja
Police operatives at the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Abuja on Monday dispersed #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters and arrested some of them, including Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor.
The security operatives also fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesters around the Abuja Central Business District before arresting them and causing panic and confusion among commuters and which also triggered a huge traffic gridlock in Abuja.
The traffic lock jam was compounded with the blockage of major roads leading to the city centre by security agencies and resulting in public outcries as commuters’ mobility was gravely paralysed.
Human rights activist and the convener of the protest, Omoyele Sowore who fled the scene when the armed policemen and other security operatives stormed the protesters’ location, shared the information about the arrest in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The former presidential candidate alleged that the police used live ammunition and force against protesters demanding Kanu’s release.
“The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalize #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor, as well as innocent bystanders. They were beaten and taken to the FCT Command. The police must release them immediately,” he stated.
The Daily Crucible reports that the Nigeria Police Force had warned against holding protests in restricted areas of the capital.
