Army Shut Down Access to Presidential Villa, Block Main Highways Amid Heavy Protest
- Heavy security presence blankets Abuja as protesters storm major routes demanding Nnamdi Kanu’s release from detention
- Soldiers and DSS operatives shut down access to the Presidential Villa and block main highways, causing severe traffic gridlock
- Protesters led by Omoyele Sowore vow to continue peaceful demonstrations until the detained IPOB leader is freed
Security was visibly heightened across Abuja on Monday as protesters demanding the release of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, converged on the Federal Capital Territory.
The demonstration, led by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore under the #FreeNnamdiKanu banner, brought parts of the city to a standstill.
Source: Facebook
Personnel of the Nigerian Army, Police, and Department of State Services (DSS) took positions around the Presidential Villa and other key locations to prevent protesters from gaining access to sensitive areas.
All routes leading to the Three Arms Zone were blocked, with entry into the State House strictly restricted. Even staff members with valid access tags were turned back as security agents intensified stop-and-search operations.
Roadblocks and Gridlock Across Abuja
The lockdown extended beyond the Villa as checkpoints appeared along major routes, including the Keffi–Abuja Expressway, Dutse–Bwari Road, and Airport Road, Vanguard reported.
Traffic built up rapidly from the early hours, especially around the Karu Bridge near the Sani Abacha Barracks, where soldiers mounted heavy surveillance from as early as 4 a.m.
Commuters from satellite towns such as Nyanya, Karu, Mararaba, and Masaka were stranded for hours. Civil servants heading to work expressed frustration as vehicular movement crawled across the city.
A staff member of the Villa took to social media to lament the situation, writing:
“Please, can someone find out what is going on in the Villa? All access roads are blocked. Nobody is allowed in, even with tags.”
Source: Facebook
Public Offices on Alert Over #FreeNnamdiKanu Protest
Government offices within the Central Business District were on alert as police patrols circled Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the National Assembly.
Workers received advisories cautioning them to use alternative routes. One circulated message read:
“Good morning, dear colleagues. Please, if you are coming from Airport Road to Central Area, follow Area 1. Security blocked from National Mosque.”
The protest marks another chapter in the ongoing agitation for Kanu’s release. Despite several court rulings ordering his freedom, the IPOB leader has remained in detention since his extradition from Kenya in 2021.
His supporters have accused the government of deliberately ignoring legal directives and neglecting his health condition.
Sowore, who led the demonstration, had announced earlier that the protest would be peaceful but sustained until Kanu is freed.
Authorities have not confirmed any arrests or injuries as of the time of this report.
Gunshots as security forces clash with protesters
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tension flared in Abuja on Monday, October 20, as a joint detachment of security and defence operatives forcefully dispersed protesters calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The demonstrators, led by activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, alongside human rights lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, had converged near the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) headquarters in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Source: Legit.ng
