An Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Kuje has ordered the remand of Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, lawyer to detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, alongside Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, and ten other supporters, following their arrest during the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja.
The police accused the defendants of engaging in a protest that disobeyed a court order, chanting war songs, and obstructing traffic. According to the First Information Report, the charges include criminal conspiracy, incitement, and disturbance of public peace, contrary to Sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code.
The police alleged that on October 20, 2025, the group caused public disorder across the Federal Capital Territory while calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since 2021, facing terrorism-related charges.
The defendants were brought to court from detention but could not take their plea due to the absence of their legal team. While Ejimakor requested a brief stand-down to allow his colleagues to arrive, the court rejected his plea and adjourned the matter till Friday.
A member of Kanu’s legal team said efforts to serve a bail application on the police were unsuccessful, as the officer authorized to receive the documents was reportedly unavailable.
Ejimakor Speaks from Kuje Prison
Speaking from Kuje Prison, Ejimakor confirmed his detention in a post on X, stating: “I am safe and sound but still in custody at Kuje Prison. The magistrate refused to listen to our submissions and insisted on remanding us till Friday.” He alleged that authorities deliberately chose the Kuje court over other available magistrate courts in Abuja.
Former Senate President and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, condemned the arrests, describing the action as “a dent on Nigeria’s democratic image.” He called for the immediate release of all detained protesters and urged President Bola Tinubu to rein in security agencies.
Wabara argued that peaceful protests are a constitutional right, citing global examples like the ongoing “No King Protest” in the U.S., which has seen no police brutality. He accused the APC-led government of muzzling dissent and warned that Nigeria was “sliding into dictatorship.”
He said, “If President Tinubu can pardon convicted persons, he should consider extending a similar gesture to Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in the South-East.”
Civil Society and Human Rights Groups React
Civil rights activist Dele Farotimi criticized both the police and judiciary, saying their actions show that “Nigeria is merely pretending to be a democracy.” He argued that citizens do not need police permission to protest, only to notify them for security arrangements.
In a joint statement, ActionAid Nigeria and Amnesty International condemned the crackdown on peaceful protesters in Abuja and Lagos, describing it as a “gross violation of human rights.”
The statement by AAN Country Director Dr. Andrew Mamedu and AI Country Director Isa Sanusi described the attacks as “systematic attempts to shrink civic space” and urged the government to investigate the assaults, including those on activist Yemi Adamolekun.
They stated, “Any force deployed against peaceful protesters is a breach of Nigeria’s Constitution and international human rights laws. The deliberate use of excessive force transforms the state from a protector to a perpetrator of violence.”
Both organizations called on the Tinubu administration to immediately stop repressing civic freedoms and hold security officers accountable for violations.
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