Nigerian Police Clash with Protesters
(MENAFN) On Monday, Nigerian police clashed with demonstrators calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as reported by
eyewitnesses. Kanu is currently facing terrorism charges, and his group is advocating for the creation of an independent Biafra state for the Igbo people in the southeastern region of Nigeria.
The protest took place in the capital, Abuja, where police responded by deploying tear gas, resulting in several injuries, including those of journalists.
The demonstration was part of the broader #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow movement, which seeks to pressure the government into honoring a 2022 Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted Kanu, who also holds British citizenship.
However, this ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court the following year, igniting protests and public debates across the nation.
Eyewitnesses described the police response as overly aggressive, with officers using excessive force to break up the peaceful gathering of protesters.
The demonstrators had assembled in the Utako area of Abuja, but they were forced to disperse after police fired tear gas into the crowd.
Two journalists from the French news agency AFP, identified as Nick Roll, an American, and John Okunyomih, a Nigerian videographer, were among those arrested during the protest.
The AFP staffers were filming the assault on protesters when police officers confronted them and attempted to detain them.
During the incident, their camera was damaged, and their phones were confiscated. After two hours in detention, the journalists were released.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
