Protesters calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, were forced to flee on Monday after security operatives reportedly fired live bullets near the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The demonstration, led by #RevolutionNow convener and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, began around 6:50 a.m. at the Ministry of Women Affairs headquarters.
According to Daily Trust, heavy security presence had been in place since Sunday, with operatives from the Nigerian Police Force, Guards Brigade, Department of State Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) blocking major routes leading to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Court of Appeal, and Eagle Square.
The protesters had earlier vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s freedom. However, as the group approached the Court of Appeal area, security operatives reportedly fired live ammunition, causing panic among demonstrators.
Eyewitnesses said the protesters initially assumed the police intended to fire tear gas to disperse them but were shocked when live bullets were released instead.
Before the shooting, Sowore and other protesters had urged officers to act lawfully, shouting, “Don’t teargas us! Respect the rule of law! We have the right to protest, we’re Nigerians.”
The sudden gunfire scattered the crowd as protesters fled for safety in different directions.
As of the time of filing this report, armoured personnel carriers from the Guards Brigade, police, and DSS were still stationed at key points around the Presidential Villa and nearby government buildings.
