There are fears of a possible confrontation between security operatives and members of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow movement today (Monday) as organisers insist on marching to the Presidential Villa to demand the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The protest, spearheaded by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore’s Take It Back Movement, is expected to draw large crowds to the streets of Abuja despite a Federal High Court order restraining demonstrators from gathering near the Villa, the National Assembly, and other sensitive government locations.
In a ruling issued on Sunday, the court granted an interim injunction sought by the Federal Government, citing national security concerns and the need to prevent possible breach of peace in the capital.
However, the organisers remain defiant. The Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, confirmed that the march would proceed as planned, stressing that the group intends to hold a peaceful rally both in Abuja and simultaneously across several South-Eastern states.
“Our position remains unchanged — the protest will go on,” Adenola said. “We are not violent; we are only demanding justice and freedom for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued detention violates the rule of law.”
Security has been tightened around key government installations in Abuja, including Aso Rock, the National Assembly complex, and the Federal Secretariat, with heavy deployment of police, soldiers, and personnel from the Department of State Services.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has urged residents to go about their normal activities, assuring that law enforcement agencies are “fully prepared to maintain peace and order.”
Kanu, leader of the proscribed IPOB movement, has been in detention since his re-arrest in 2021 on terrorism-related charges. His prolonged trial and continued detention have sparked repeated calls for his release, with supporters accusing the government of political persecution.
