Nnamdi Kanu: CDHR Demands Unconditional Release of Protesters
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu – Democracy Newsline Newspaper
Published: 21st October 2025
Abuja, Nigeria — Tensions flared in the nation’s capital today as officers of the Nigerian Police disrupted a peaceful protest led by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Mr. Omoyele Sowore. The demonstration, which called for the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, ended with scenes of chaos, tear gas, and arrests—drawing swift condemnation from rights organizations, including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).
In a strongly worded statement released this afternoon, the CDHR decried what it described as a “gross abuse of power” and “a direct assault on the democratic rights of Nigerian citizens.” According to eyewitnesses, the protest had begun peacefully near the Unity Fountain in Abuja, with demonstrators carrying placards and chanting calls for justice, when police officers moved in to disperse the crowd using tear gas and force.
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“The protest was constitutionally guaranteed and peaceful. The actions of the police were entirely unnecessary and excessive,” the CDHR said. “The Nigerian Constitution protects the rights of citizens to free assembly and expression. These rights are not privileges granted by the government—they are fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected at all times.”
Several protesters were reportedly arrested during the incident, though exact numbers remain unclear. Among those detained are university students, members of civil society, and young professionals, many of whom had gathered to protest what they see as the unjust and prolonged detention of Nnamdi Kanu, whose legal battles continue to stir political debate across the country.
The CDHR sharply criticized the Nigerian government’s continued attempts to stifle dissent, warning that such repressive actions may have long-term consequences for national unity and public trust in democratic institutions.
“Silencing voices of dissent and using state instruments to intimidate peaceful citizens only fans the flames of unrest,” the statement read. “These tactics do not solve underlying grievances—they worsen them.”
The group emphasized that it will continue to closely monitor the situation and seek legal redress for those whose rights have been violated. It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all protesters arrested during the Abuja demonstration.
