(DDM) – Nigerian human rights lawyer Marshal Abubakar has called on security agencies to respect citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful protest as Nigerians prepare for the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow nationwide demonstration.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Abubakar compared the planned Nigerian protests to recent large-scale demonstrations in the United States, where over seven million Americans participated in the “No Kings” anti-Trump protest across New York and other major cities without interference from law enforcement.
He highlighted that during the U.S. protests, neither police nor intelligence agencies sought court orders to restrain demonstrators, and there were no reports of harassment, intimidation, or excessive use of force.
Abubakar’s statement comes amid rising agitation for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has remained in custody despite several court orders granting him bail.
He emphasised that Nigerians marching peacefully to demand Kanu’s release are exercising a legitimate constitutional right and should not face harassment, intimidation, or violence from security personnel.
Earlier reports indicated tensions at the FCT Police Command in Abuja, where human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore alleged that police officers attempted to intimidate organisers ahead of the protest.
Sowore recounted that upon visiting the FCT Command, the protest team, including Kanu’s lawyer Barrister Maxwell Opara, faced bureaucratic delays and a heated exchange with senior officers.
Sowore said police warned that organisers would be “held responsible if anything goes wrong anywhere in Abuja,” prompting concerns over potential pre-emptive crackdowns.
Barrister Opara reportedly reminded officers that formal notification had been sent to ensure the demonstration would be lawful and peaceful.
Following these interactions, the police hierarchy allegedly sought a court order to stop the protest, but a Federal High Court judge declined to grant such an order in open court, and no order had been served on organisers as of Monday.
Abubakar’s call for restraint and respect of rights underscores ongoing tensions between civil society groups and Nigerian security agencies over freedom of assembly, judicial independence, and political activism.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his arrest in Kenya and subsequent extradition to Nigeria.
He faces multiple charges, including treasonable felony and incitement, sparking national and international debates on the rule of law, political persecution, and human rights in Nigeria.
As the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest proceeds, legal observers, activists, and citizens continue to monitor security responses, highlighting the broader struggle for civil liberties in the country.