At least eight people, including lawyer Aloy Ejimakor and Fineboy Kanu, a relative of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, were arrested during Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Confirming the arrests on Channels TV on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said those detained are currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and would be arraigned in court after investigations.
“They (those arrested) are currently at the state CID. Once we conclude investigations, they will be prosecuted,” Hundeyin stated.
Dispelling rumours that live bullets were used on protesters, Hundeyin clarified that only teargas was deployed in line with police Standard Operating Practice (SOP).
“I can state categorically, authoritatively, that no live ammunition was fired. It’s very easy for people unfamiliar with the sounds to mistake the firing of tear gas for live ammunition,” he explained.
The police spokesman noted that the Federal High Court had issued an order restricting protesters from accessing certain areas within the FCT, including sensitive national institutions.
He said intelligence reports suggested the protest could spiral into violence if not contained, citing previous demonstrations that turned chaotic.
“There was a group that protested along this road some years back, and it was anarchy. We saw ambulances burnt down. We cannot allow that to happen again,” Hundeyin recalled.
The protest, convened by activist Omoyele Sowore, was part of ongoing calls for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since 2021 despite multiple court rulings ordering his release.
