Human rights activist and convener of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, narrowly escaped gunfire as security operatives dispersed protesters at the rally grounds in Abuja on Monday morning.
According to reports, heavily armed police and military officers took over the protest site around 7 a.m., shortly before demonstrators began their planned march to the Presidential Villa to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a viral video, Sowore and other protesters were seen fleeing the scene as gunshots rang out, forcing the crowd to scatter in panic. Eyewitnesses said the security operatives fired several warning shots to disperse the demonstrators, who had gathered despite a court order restricting protests near sensitive government facilities.
The protest, organised by the Take It Back Movement, was part of a nationwide mobilisation demanding Kanu’s release from detention. It followed earlier warnings from the Nigeria Police Force, which had described the planned march as a potential threat to public order.
As of the time of filing this report, security presence remains heavy around key government areas, including the Aso Rock Villa, Eagle Square, and the Federal Secretariat, while the situation continues to develop.
