The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has defended its decision to deploy tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Abuja who were pushing for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, insisting the action was in line with a valid court order restricting protests near key national institutions.
The protests erupted across parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including Maitama, Jabi, and the Three Arms Zone, where demonstrators had converged to demand Kanu’s release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to eyewitnesses, protesters attempted to march toward the Three Arms Zone — an area that houses the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and the Court of Appeal — prompting police operatives to fire tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd and restore order.
The police action, however, drew sharp criticism from Amnesty International Nigeria, which described it as an attempt to stifle citizens’ right to peaceful protest.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, Amnesty International said: “Amnesty International receives disturbing reports of attempts to crack down on peaceful protests holding in Abuja, calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest.
“Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
The rights organization urged Nigerian authorities to ensure that security agencies respect citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly, as enshrined in both the Nigerian Constitution and international treaties such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Amnesty further called for an immediate halt to the crackdown on demonstrators and urged the government to address their grievances through dialogue rather than repression.
Reacting to the criticism, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, defended the actions of the police, stating that the officers operated within the boundaries of the law.
In a post on his X handle, Hundeyin wrote: “Police tear-gassed protesters attempting to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention of a court order restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate. And we did not block the road but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters to enable other Nigerians easy passage to their respective destinations.”
Hundeyin emphasized that the police acted to maintain law and order and to prevent any escalation that could threaten public safety in the nation’s capital.
Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since June 2021, is currently facing trial on terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The incident adds to growing tensions between security agencies and pro-Biafra supporters, amid renewed calls from rights groups and Igbo leaders for Kanu’s unconditional release.