By Chidimma Okwara,,
Tensions flared in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday as a peaceful demonstration calling for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu was met with heavy-handed force, resulting in the alleged brutalisation and arrest of his lead counsel and younger brother.
Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel for Kanu, and Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the younger brother of the detained leader, were reportedly taken into custody following a confrontation with security agents during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
According to multiple reports from eyewitnesses and activist groups present at the scene, the security forces, comprising officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other plainclothes agents, rapidly moved to disperse the demonstrators.
The situation quickly escalated into chaos. Video footage and accounts circulated online suggest that Barrister Ejiofor was physically manhandled and assaulted before being detained. Prince Emmanuel Kanu was also apprehended amidst the scuffle.
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“The brutality was uncalled for,” stated a source close to the legal team. “They targeted the most recognizable figures among the demonstrators, using excessive force on a lawyer who was merely exercising his constitutional rights and demanding justice for his client.”
The arrest of the prominent lawyer has drawn swift and widespread condemnation from legal bodies and civil rights organizations across Nigeria. Critics argue that the actions of the police represent a direct affront to the rule of law and an attempt to stifle democratic dissent.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is expected to issue a formal statement demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Ejiofor, stressing the need to protect legal practitioners from harassment while carrying out their professional duties.
“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental, and the right to legal representation is sacrosanct,” said a spokesperson for a leading human rights group in Abuja. “The actions witnessed today send a chilling message about the state of civil liberties in the country.”
#FreeNnamdiKanuNow Movement
The protest was the latest in a series of peaceful demonstrations aimed at pressuring the Federal Government to comply with earlier court rulings that had ordered the release of Nnamdi Kanu. The IPOB leader has been in custody since his controversial rendition to Nigeria in 2021.
The incident is likely to further inflame political and ethnic tensions, raising questions about the government’s commitment to dialogue and respect for judicial pronouncements concerning Kanu’s detention.
As of press time, the location of Barrister Ejiofor and Prince Emmanuel Kanu remains unconfirmed, with their legal teams working urgently to establish contact and secure their release. The Police High Command has yet to issue an official statement justifying the use of force or the specific reasons for the arrests.
