By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Gabriel Ewepu & Steve Oko
ABUJA— A day after the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, an Abuja Chief Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom sitting at Kuje, yesterday, remanded Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the authorized group representing the detained chief of the Indigenous Folks of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in Kuje jail.
Kanu, who’s answering to a seven-count terrorism cost, has been in custody of the Division of State Providers, DSS, since 2021.
Ejimakor was remanded alongside Kanu’s youthful brother, Emmanuel (in any other case referred to as Fineboy), and 10 others arrested whereas protesting for the unconditional launch of the embattled IPOB chief.
Police, within the First Info Report, FIR, it filed earlier than the court docket, alleged that the defendants held the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in disobedience to a court docket order, chanted warfare songs whereas disrupting the free circulation of visitors.
Based on the police, they engaged in legal conspiracy, incited disturbance and disturbed public peace, offences punishable below sections 152, 114 and 113 of the Penal Code.
The cost in opposition to the defendants learn: “That on twentieth day of October, 2025, you (1). Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, (2). Prince Emmnauel Kanu, (3). Joshua Emmanuel, (4). Bishop Wilson Anyalewechi, (5). Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, (6). Clinton Chimeneze, (7). Gabriel Joshua, (8). Isiaka Husseini, (9). Onyekachi Ferdinand. (10). Amadi Prince, (11). Edison Ojisom, and (12). Godwill Obiama, all male adults of FCT Abuja have been arrested by a group of safety brokers in several places inside FCT whereas involving yourselves in inciting disturbance, and breach of public Peace in disobedience to a court docket Order, denying different residents the liberty of motion, disrupting free circulation of visitors whereas chanting warfare songs and requesting for the discharge of Nnamdi Kanu, who’s present process lawful trial on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in a fashion that threatens nationwide safety.
“You thereby dedicated the above talked about offences.”
Absence of authorized illustration
In the meantime, Vanguard realized that although the defendants, taken to the court docket from a police detention facility, have been docked, they may not take their plea owing to absence of authorized illustration for them.
It was gathered that whereas one of many defendants, Okere Nnamdi, who can be a authorized practitioner, elected to defend himself, Kanu’s counsel, Ejimakor, pleaded for a stand-down to allow their authorized group arrive.
Ejimakor’s plea was rejected by the court docket which adjourned the case until Friday.
A member of Kanu’s authorized group, who spoke to Vanguard on grounds of anonymity, stated the case was already adjourned earlier than they acquired to the court docket.
He additional confirmed {that a} movement was swiftly filed for the defendants to be launched on bail.
Bail utility stalled
Nevertheless, the lawyer decried that spirited makes an attempt to serve the bail utility on the police failed as his group was knowledgeable that the individual that had the authority to simply accept the method, was not obtainable.
“That is the unlucky state of affairs for the time being,” the lawyer lamented.
The Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja had in a ruling final Friday by Justice Mohammed Umar, banned the protesters from Aso Rock Villa, the Nationwide Meeting and the Unity Fountain in Abuja, and issued an ex parte order that restrained organisers of the protest, led by a former presidential candidate and activist, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, from continuing with their plan.
Police spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, had within the aftermath of the protest that passed off in Abuja and different components of the nation on Monday, confirmed the arrest of Kanu’s lawyer, brother and the ten others and stated they’d be prosecuted in lower than 24 hours after diligent investigation.
Ejimakor speaks from Kuje jail
In the meantime, Ejimakor, has confirmed that he’s in detention on the Kuje Jail.
He disclosed his standing in a publish on X (previously Twitter) yesterday, assuring supporters of his security, whereas expressing concern about how his case was dealt with by the Police.
The lawyer wrote: “I’m secure and sound however nonetheless in custody at Kuje jail. The Justice of the Peace refused to hearken to our submissions. He insisted on remanding us until Friday and acquired his method.”
Ejimakor additionally alleged that the authorities intentionally took his case to a specific court docket in Kuje, as an alternative of any of the opposite obtainable Justice of the Peace’s courts within the metropolis.
“For context: Remember the fact that they bypassed a number of Justice of the Peace’s courts on the town and headed to this one in Kuje,” he acknowledged.
It will be recalled that Particular Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Info and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, had referred to as on authorized regulatory our bodies in Nigeria to sanction Ejimakor for taking part within the protest in Abuja, saying his participation undermined authorized ethics, provided that Kanu’s case was nonetheless earlier than a reliable court docket.
Wabara calls for rapid launch of Kanu’s brother, others
Talking on the difficulty yesterday, former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, referred to as for the rapid launch of all protesters arrested throughout Monday’s protest in Abuja.
The elder statesman strongly condemned the motion of some safety operatives who fired tear fuel canisters at peaceable protesters.
Wabara additionally frowned on alleged manhandling of a journalist masking the protest whose digicam was reportedly damaged by some overzealous safety operatives.
Describing the intimidation and arrest of peaceable protesters as “a critical dent on Nigeria’s international picture,” Senator Wabara urged President Bola Tinubu to name the safety businesses to order.
Based on him, the arrest of Kanu’s youthful brother and lawyer, amongst others, will solely irritate the already tense state of affairs within the South-East.
Senator Wabara, who argued that “it’s the elementary proper of residents to carry peaceable protest”, stated the police have been required to offer safety for protesters, and never clamp down on them.
Citing the continued ‘No King Protest’ involving about 7 million folks in the US of America, “the place there aren’t any incidents of molestation or brutality,” Senator Wabara challenged the Nigeria safety operatives to study from their US counterparts.
Wabara, who’s the chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the principle opposition Peoples Democratic Celebration, PDP, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC-led, Federal Authorities which, he stated, “is a product of protests”, of utilizing intimidation and brute pressure in opposition to dissenting voices.
He queried: ‘’Why is the APC that got here to energy via protests abruptly terrified of protests? Muzzling dissenting voices and that of opposition is a prelude to dictatorship. That is actually not the democracy we yearned for!
“The scars of#EndSARS will at all times stay a tragic memorial for the APC which exploited propaganda and protests to oust the PDP in 2015.’’
Sliding into dictatorship
Regretting that “Nigeria below the watch of the APC, is quick sliding into dictatorship,” Wabara suggested President Tinubu to, as a father of the nation, think about the rising appeals for the discharge of Nnamdi Kanu “to scale back rigidity and restore peace within the South-East.”
Based on him, if the President can pardon some convicted criminals and fraudsters, there may be nothing flawed in extending comparable gesture to Nnamdi Kanu.
Senator Wabara additional argued that the continued launch of repentant terrorists and negotiations with armed bandits, had made Kanu’s unconditional launch extra compelling.
He suggested President Tinubu to fairly interact the protesters and search for a solution to politically resolve the Kanu equation, as an alternative of holding him behind bars in perpetuity.
Wabara, who had earlier declared assist for the protest, recommended the protesters for his or her peaceable comportment, regardless of provocations, and urged Nigerians to be united in opposition to bare-faced injustice, disregard for the rule of legislation, and rascality of the ruling class, insisting that each part of the nation deserves honest remedy.
We’re mimicking democracy, Farotimi faults police, judiciary
In an analogous vein, civil rights activist, Dele Farotimi, in his response, faulted the Nigerian Police and the judiciary over their roles in limiting residents from holding peaceable protests, describing the actions as proof that Nigeria is merely pretending to be a democracy.
Talking on Channels Tv’s breakfast programme, yesterday, Farotimi stated in a real democracy, residents don’t require a police allow to protest, including that the police have been solely to learn, so they may present safety.
He stated: “In a democracy, there ought to by no means be a necessity for a police allow earlier than you’ll have a protest. The police have been knowledgeable in order that they would offer safety.
“{That a} court docket would presume to curtail the best of residents to protest peacefully in a democracy is even suggestive of the truth that we’re not in a democracy. We’re solely mimicking and pretending to be in a single.”
Farotimi argued that it’s “utterly remarkable” for residents in a democracy to want the permission of their “paid workers,” the police, earlier than they may congregate peacefully.
He maintained that the judiciary had turn out to be an extension of the chief and now not served the reason for justice.
“I’m sorry to say our judiciary is unfit for function. It does precisely as it’s informed by the chief and doesn’t serve the reason for justice. An order is just as helpful as its lawfulness,” he stated.
He additional argued that the federal government’s response to the 2020 #EndSARS motion proved that nothing has modified, saying the authorities solely rebranded the police unit, as an alternative of reforming its operations.
“Finish SARS, they modified the title to SWAT; in the present day it’s RRS. It’s the character and nature that haven’t modified. The Nigerian state doesn’t change something for anyone. It isn’t excited by pleasing those that presume themselves to be residents. It doesn’t care,” Farotimi acknowledged.
ActionAid, Amnesty Int’l kick
Additionally, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, and Amnesty Worldwide, AI, yesterday, strongly condemned the assaults on peaceable protesters and civic actors in Abuja and Lagos, by way of a joint assertion by the Nation Director, AAN, Dr Andrew Mamedu, and Nation Director, AI, Isa Sanusi.
Each stated the brutal pressure was uncalled for and unacceptable, because it infringed on the basic, constitutional rights of Nigerian residents to peaceable meeting, freedom of expression, and affiliation.
The assertion learn: “ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, and Amnesty Worldwide have obtained with profound shock and utter condemnation stories of brutal and illegal assaults on peaceable demonstrators and members of the civil society neighborhood in Abuja and Lagos.
“The protests, which included Ms. Yemi Adamolekun of the Sufficient Is Sufficient (EiE) motion in Lagos laying flowers in commemoration of deceased members of the #ENDSARs protesters, drew a heavy safety response throughout each cities and have been met with extreme pressure.”
ActionAid Nigeria Nation Director stated: “This spate of violence represents a grievous and unacceptable assault on the basic constitutional rights of Nigerian residents to peaceable meeting, freedom of expression, and affiliation.
“Such actions by safety brokers, particularly the Nigeria Police Power, NPF, will not be merely remoted incidents of misconduct, they represent a scientific and unbecoming try and shrink the civic house and stifle official public dissent.
“We assert that peaceable demonstration is the bedrock of any functioning democracy, and its safety is a non-negotiable obligation of the state.
“Any pressure deployed in opposition to peaceable protesters, leading to harm or assault, is a direct breach of home and worldwide human rights legal guidelines, together with the African Constitution on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Nigeria’s personal structure.
“The deliberate use of extreme pressure transforms the state’s position from protector of its residents to perpetrator of violence.’’
Amnesty Worldwide’s Nation Director additionally famous: “The recurring sample of brutality exhibited by safety businesses in coping with peaceable meeting is deeply entrenched and have to be decisively dismantled.
“ActionAid Nigeria and Amnesty Worldwide demand an instantaneous, thorough, neutral, and impartial investigation into all reported assaults on protesters in Abuja and the assault on Yemi Adamolekun, with clear accountability for individuals who ordered and executed these violations.
“These repeated assaults mirror a disturbing shrinkage of Nigeria’s civic house the place residents exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and communicate are more and more met with repression.
“Authorities in any respect ranges should instantly stop all makes an attempt to suppress peaceable protests and should make sure that safety businesses are strictly directed to respect and shield the rights of residents to assemble and categorical themselves freely, with strict adherence to human rights requirements and guidelines of engagement.
The assertion assured that “ActionAid Nigeria and Amnesty Worldwide stand in solidarity with the victims of those assaults and stay dedicated to monitoring the state of affairs carefully.
The CSOs additionally tasked the Tinubu-led administration to respect human rights, saying “the Nigerian authorities should take rapid, decisive steps to show its dedication to human rights and the sanctity of the civic house. Failure to behave swiftly will probably be seen as complicity within the continued abuse of energy.’’
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