Massive traffic gridlock hit parts of Abuja on Monday as protesters demanding the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, took to the streets under the banner of the #FreeNnamdiKanu movement.
Led by activist Omoyele Sowore, the demonstration began early in the day in front of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, drawing large crowds and prompting the closure of several major roads, including Shehu Shagari Way and adjoining routes leading to the city centre.
Videos circulating online showed long queues of vehicles stuck in traffic around Nyanya and Karu, as motorists struggled to navigate through blocked roads.
Security operatives were heavily deployed to key protest locations, including Eagle Square, Unity Fountain, and the Three Arms Zone, where they fired tear gas and, reportedly, live rounds to disperse demonstrators. Access to the Federal Secretariat and surrounding areas was completely barricaded, with both motorists and pedestrians denied entry.
Witnesses also reported a clash near the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Utako, where security agents fired tear gas at a crowd believed not to be part of the protest.
Earlier, Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court had issued an interim injunction restricting protests around the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
Police authorities warned that any violation of the order would lead to arrests, adding that digital surveillance tools would be used to identify individuals inciting unrest through social media.
However, Sowore dismissed the legality of the injunction, arguing that no similar order had been issued against groups opposing Kanu’s release. He said more than 100 lawyers were ready to challenge the order once it was formally served.
Kanu, who has led IPOB since its founding, was first arrested in 2015 on treason charges and later released on bail. He fled the country during his trial but was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria under controversial circumstances. He is currently facing terrorism-related charges.
