The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, spearheaded by human rights activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, significantly impacted Nigeria's capital city, Abuja, and elicited solidarity in other regions on Monday. The demonstrations were organized to demand the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in detention since 2021 while facing trial on terrorism charges. These charges stem from his persistent advocacy for the independence of the South-east region as a sovereign state, an activity the Nigerian government alleges has incited violence, leading to extensive killings and property destruction. Sowore, a two-time presidential candidate, vehemently argued that Kanu’s detention is unjust and politically motivated.

In Abuja, protesters initiated their march from the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Maitama, proceeding through Wuse and Berger, down to Utako. The demonstration continued to the Apo and Gudu areas before Sowore ultimately led a smaller group to the FCT Police Command, intending to secure the release of arrested participants. However, the police responded with force, deploying tear gas to disperse protesters multiple times at various locations, including the Hilton Hotel and a building material plaza in Jabi, where business activities were crippled. Reports indicated that tear gas was also fired at journalists and civilians, with one Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist briefly arrested.

The day began with palpable fear and disruption for Abuja residents. Unverified warnings circulating the night before advised people to stay home. As early as 6 a.m., police had established roadblocks on major routes leading to sensitive government areas such as the National Assembly, Federal Secretariat, Eagles Square, Aso Rock, and the Court of Appeal. This heavy security presence caused significant gridlock in the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding areas like Nyanya-Karu, leaving many commuters stranded. Activities at the Federal High Court in Abuja were also paralyzed, stalling a case involving Sowore himself. Notably, while the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters faced aggressive dispersal, counter-protesters opposing Kanu’s release held their rally around Labour House Bridge without police harassment.

Solidarity for Kanu’s release extended beyond Abuja. In Abia State, particularly Umuahia, residents marched extensively, chanting Kanu’s name and demanding his freedom. Although police, led by Commissioner Danladi Isa, initially attempted to dissuade the Abia State Chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo from protesting due to fears of hoodlums, youths from Kanu's community, Afara-Ukwu, came out en masse to proceed. Security operatives later blocked them from accessing the Abia State Government House. In Ondo State, Igbo-owned businesses shut down in a show of solidarity. Conversely, streets in Enugu, Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi states were largely deserted. Businesses and schools remained closed, not due to active protests but largely owing to the fear associated with the "sit-at-home" orders typically observed on Mondays, as residents opted to stay indoors.

The protest and its handling drew swift condemnations from various quarters. Amnesty International Nigeria criticized the "reckless use of tear gas" and confiscation of cameras, asserting that Nigerian authorities failed to uphold the right to freedom of assembly and called for impartial investigations. The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTiON) echoed this, describing the police actions as a "blatant violation of citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly" and a "chilling display of state hostility towards free expression." MOTiON accused the government and judiciary of "weaponizing dissent" and employing a "double standard" compared to protests favoring state institutions. They urged lawmakers to protect constitutional freedoms, review injunctions restricting protests, and adopt human-rights-compliant management protocols. Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara also demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters, including Kanu’s brother, Emmanuel Kanu, and his lead lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor. Wabara condemned the use of tear gas and the alleged manhandling of a journalist, asserting that such actions tarnish Nigeria’s global image and accuse the ruling APC government of hypocrisy, given its own history of coming to power partly through protests.

The arrests of prominent figures associated with Kanu sparked further controversy. Aloy Ejimakor announced his arrest on X at the start of the protest, stating he was detained alongside Emmanuel Kanu. Omoyele Sowore later reported that 13 protesters were detained and taken to the "notorious SARS Abattoir detention and torture facility in Abuja," a place he associated with human rights abuses. Presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga, however, accused Ejimakor of "sub judice" conduct for participating in the protest while Kanu's trial was ongoing, suggesting his actions raised questions about professional ethics. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong dismissed Onanuga's claim as "mischievous," arguing that no law prohibits a lawyer from joining a peaceful protest on behalf of a client.

Nnamdi Kanu's legal saga dates back to 2015 when he was first arrested on treasonable felony charges. After being granted bail in 2017, he fled Nigeria following a military invasion of his home. He was rearrested in Kenya in June 2021 and repatriated to Nigeria to resume his trial. Despite an acquittal by the Court of Appeal in 2022, the Nigerian government blocked his release, citing potential flight risk and insecurity concerns, and successfully appealed to the Supreme Court. In December 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal, ordering the continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The government closed its case in June 2025, blaming Kanu's campaigns for violence in the South-east. Kanu's subsequent no-case submission was dismissed by the court in September, compelling him to open his defence. Recently, a court-ordered medical panel declared him fit to continue facing trial.

Sowore had actively mobilized for the protest earlier in the month, reaching out to prominent South-east politicians like Peter Obi, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Governors Charles Soludo and Alex Otti, urging them to join the "peaceful march." Despite a court order approving the protest in areas outside sensitive government sites, police frequently disregarded this ruling by forcefully dispersing protesters in approved zones. The Nigerian government had also criticized Sowore’s mobilization efforts, with Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga labeling him an "anarchist masquerading as a rights activist" and accusing him of attempting to incite disorder.

The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protests highlighted persistent tensions surrounding separatist movements in Nigeria and the state's response to public dissent. The forceful dispersal of protesters, coupled with the arrests of legal counsel and family members, and the subsequent condemnations from human rights organizations and political figures, underscore deep concerns regarding freedom of assembly and the rule of law in the country.