By Sar Terver
The recent protest in Abuja led by activist Omoyele Sowore to demand the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has continued to provoke wide-ranging reactions from legal minds and civic commentators across the Country.
What began as a peaceful march soon spiraled into a heated encounter with security operatives, who deployed teargas and barricades to disperse the crowd.
The protesters, carrying placards and chanting “Free Kanu Now,” accused the government of disobeying court orders and violating citizens’ rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.
The ensuing confrontation drew national attention, not only for its dramatic scenes but also for the broader questions it raised about law, justice, and civic responsibility in Nigeria’s democracy.
In Makurdi, a legal practitioner, Barrister Terseer Ahua, said while citizens have the constitutional right to protest perceived injustices, such actions must respect ongoing judicial processes.
“Every individual or group has the right to organize a peaceful protest, but such actions should be guided by the rule of law.
“Since Kanu’s case is still before a court, it would be inappropriate to call for his release through street protests while the trial is pending. That could be seen as interference in judicial proceedings.”
Ahua, who emphasized that his opinion was based on media reports, added that protests would have been more meaningful if directed at delays in the trial rather than demanding the suspect’s release outright.
He described prolonged legal delays as “contrary to the spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,” which seeks to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.
On the reported arrest of Kanu’s lawyer during the protest, the Benue lawyer advised restraint on both sides.
“A lawyer’s duty is to defend within the law, not on the streets. But if his arrest was merely for being present at a lawful gathering without committing an offence, then such detention would be unlawful”, he explained.
From Plateau State, another commentator, a Jos-based legal analyst who preferred to be identified simply as Barrister “Danladi”, said the situation reflected Nigeria’s delicate balance between civil liberties and national security.
“There is an emotional element around the Kanu issue. The state must protect public order, but at the same time, it must respect the right of citizens to lawful assembly. The challenge is in how these interests are managed without abuse of power.”
Danladi cautioned that government’s frequent use of force in dealing with peaceful protests often undermines public trust and fuels resentment. “Security agencies must always act within the confines of the law. When citizens perceive suppression, it widens the gap between the state and the people,” he said.
In a similar tone, a public affairs commentator from Kogi State argued that the Sowore-led protest was a reflection of deepening frustration with selective justice and inconsistent application of the law.
“The streets have become the last resort for citizens who feel the courts and institutions are too slow or politically influenced. But protests are only effective when they remain peaceful and issue-focused. Once they are met with violence, the message is lost”, he observed.
The analyst further stressed that while Sowore’s activism draws attention to legitimate concerns about justice and governance, “the government also bears responsibility to ensure that civic expressions are not criminalized.”
The Abuja protest and its aftermath have reignited an enduring debate about how far citizens can go in expressing dissent within a democracy that still struggles with tolerance for opposition voices.
Analysts say the controversy surrounding Kanu’s continued detention, coupled with the police response to the protest, exposes the fragile intersection between law enforcement and human rights in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
As Barr. Ahua put it, “Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done — by both the courts and the people.”
Currently, FCT Abuja remains calm, but the echoes of the Sowore–Kanu protest continue to reverberate across the country, symbolizing yet again the uneasy dance between authority and freedom in Africa’s largest democracy.
Recall that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB leader is being prosecuted by the Department of State Security Service, DSS on a seven count charge, bothering on his alleged involvement in terrorism activities after he was re-arrested in Kenya and subsequently extradited to Nigeria in June 2021.
