Tensions Escalate: Nigerian Police Clash with Protesters Over Kanu's Detention

Nigerian police on Monday deployed teargas to disperse demonstrators in Abuja protesting the ongoing detention of Nnamdi Kanu, a separatist leader facing terrorism charges. The protests were organized against the backdrop of Kanu's trial, as tensions rise over his continued custody.

Authorities cordoned off major roads and armed officers patrolled the capital alongside military reinforcements, aiming to prevent gatherings in support of Kanu. The Indigenous People of Biafra Movement (IPOB), spearheaded by Kanu, has long advocated for southeastern Nigeria's secession, predominantly populated by the Igbo ethnic group.

Kanu's supporters argue that his arrest, which dates back to 2021, is driven by political motives. They demand his release and the dismissal of terrorism charges. The historical context of the region's desire for independence dates back to a devastating civil war in the late 1960s.