Protesters demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, reportedly fled the protest ground after combined security forces fired live bullets to disperse them.
The protesters, led by the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, had gathered as early as 6:50 a.m. around the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs headquarters in Abuja.
According to Daily Trust, the security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Guards Brigade, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had, since Sunday, intensified security around the Presidential Villa.
Roadblocks were mounted at key access points leading to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Court of Appeal Headquarters, Force Headquarters, and Eagle Square.
Before the heavy security deployment, the protesters had vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s release.
Our correspondent reports that as the demonstrators approached the Court of Appeal area, security operatives fired several shots into the air. Initially, the protesters assumed that teargas canisters were about to be deployed. However, they fled the scene when it became clear that live bullets were being fired from multiple directions.
Earlier, Sowore and some protesters were heard shouting at the police officers, saying: “Don’t teargas us! Respect the rule of law! We have the right to protest — we are Nigerians!”
As of the time of filing this report, armoured personnel carriers belonging to the Guards Brigade, the police, and the DSS remained stationed at strategic locations within the area.
