Security operatives on Monday dispersed demonstrators calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, after they regrouped in the Utako area of Abuja.
The protesters, made up of civil rights activists and members of pro-democracy groups under the banner of the #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow campaign, had earlier clashed with police officers near the Transcorp Hilton in Maitama, where several rounds of tear gas were fired to disperse them.
Following the initial confrontation, the protesters regrouped at Utako, chanting solidarity songs and displaying banners demanding that the Federal Government comply with the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment which discharged and acquitted Kanu.
However, armed operatives again moved in, firing tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. The incident caused panic among commuters and traders in the area, forcing many to flee for safety.
Security presence has since been heightened across the Federal Capital Territory, with combined teams of soldiers, police officers, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stationed at strategic points including Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the Three Arms Zone.
At the Berger roundabout, a large contingent of soldiers was also sighted with a gun truck mounted at the location.
