Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has accused Nigerian security operatives of launching an unprovoked attack on peaceful demonstrators calling for the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking shortly after escaping Monday’s chaos in Abuja, the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow convener said protesters were peaceful and orderly when security agents suddenly opened fire and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
“The protest was meant to be peaceful, as we had promised,” Sowore said. “There was no provocation on our part; it was orderly and calm. The attack was completely unprovoked by the police and a combined team of security personnel.”
According to witnesses, about ten police trucks surrounded protesters near the Unity Fountain as they prepared to march toward Aso Rock Villa to demand President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in Kanu’s prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Videos shared online show security forces firing tear gas canisters and live rounds into the air as protesters fled the area. The police had earlier warned organisers not to stage demonstrations near the Presidential Villa, citing security risks.
No casualties were immediately reported, though several protesters were seen choking from tear gas exposure. The standoff underscores growing public frustration over Kanu’s continued detention despite multiple court rulings ordering his release.
