Armed policemen yesterday dispersed protesters demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Utako area of Abuja.
The protesters, who had earlier fled after security operatives fired tear gas canisters around Maitama, regrouped at Utako to continue their demonstration.
However, the police swiftly moved in again and dispersed the crowd, restoring normalcy to the area.
The demonstrators, made up of civil rights activists and members of pro-democracy groups, were part of the #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow campaign aimed at pressuring the Federal Government to comply with the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment that discharged and acquitted Kanu.
Earlier in the day, police had fired multiple rounds of tear gas at protesters and passersby near the Transcorp Hilton and adjoining streets in Maitama.
The development created panic, forcing commuters, traders, and motorists to run for safety.
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After regrouping at Utako, the protesters continued chanting solidarity songs and displaying banners before security agents again used tear gas to scatter them.
Also, at the Berger roundabout, our correspondent saw a large number of soldiers with a gun truck mounted at the area.
Security has since been tightened across the Federal Capital Territory, with soldiers, police, and operatives of the Department of State Services stationed at strategic locations including Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the Three Arms Zone.
