Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPC) have arrested Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother to the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja on Monday.
Human rights activist and the convener of the protest, Omoyele Sowore revealed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, alleging that the police used live ammunition and force against protesters demanding Kanu’s release.
According to him, “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,”
LEADERSHIP reported earlier that security operatives fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesters around the Central Business District, causing panic among commuters and disrupting early morning traffic.
There were also public outcries as security operatives blocked major roads leading to the city centre resulting in heavy gridlock in and around Abuja in the morning.
Recall that the Nigeria Police Force had warned against holding protests in restricted areas of the capital.
Force PRO, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said a Federal High Court order restrained groups from staging demonstrations within or around key government buildings, including the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
