Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Monday arrested two journalists working with Agence France-Presse (AFP) while they were covering the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The journalists were identified as Nick Roll, an American correspondent, and John Okunyomih, a Nigerian videographer.

According to TheCable, the duo were stationed at the entrance of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Maitama, documenting scenes as police fired teargas to disperse protesters demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Eyewitnesses said the officers aggressively confronted the journalists, damaging their equipment in the process. Their mobile phones were also seized, and their teargas protection gear forcefully removed.

Roll was later released at the scene, while Okunyomih was reportedly taken to the FCT Command Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where he was detained for several hours before being freed.

During the same protest, police also arrested Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, who had been participating in the peaceful demonstration.

Earlier in the day, security operatives fired teargas canisters at commuters and activists gathered in parts of Abuja’s Central Business District, as the protest commenced. Some of the commuters were said to have been caught in the chaos while waiting for vehicles to take them to work.

The protest — spearheaded by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate — seeks the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021.

Kanu faces multiple charges before the Federal High Court, Abuja, including treasonable felony and terrorism-related offences, following his long-running agitation for an independent Biafra state.

As of press time, neither the FCT Police Command nor the AFP bureau in Abuja had issued an official statement regarding the arrests or damage to equipment.

The incident has sparked widespread criticism from journalists’ associations and human rights advocates, who described the arrests as another attempt to stifle press freedom and civic expression in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS) has declared all custodial centres across the country as “red zones” in response to the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, warning that it will not tolerate any form of attack on its facilities.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by Abubakar Umar, the NCOS spokesperson, as pro-Biafra agitators took to the streets in parts of Abuja and other cities to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Umar stated that the service had placed all its facilities on maximum alert and strengthened surveillance mechanisms nationwide to prevent security breaches. He cautioned individuals or groups against any attempt to disrupt the peace around correctional centres, adding that officers had been instructed to respond decisively to threats.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) wishes to inform the general public that all Custodial Centres in Nigeria remain red zones and should not be visited by mischief makers under any guise,” the statement read in part.

It further noted that “any unauthorized gathering, protest, or attempt to breach the security of any of our facilities will be met with appropriate force in accordance with extant laws.”

The NCOS said that while it respects citizens’ rights to peaceful protest, it would not compromise on the safety and integrity of custodial centres, which it described as critical national security assets.

“The Service remains committed to ensuring the safety of inmates, staff, and host communities. Our facilities are fortified and security agencies are working in synergy to forestall any form of attack or breakdown of law and order,” Umar added.

He urged Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies and avoid being misled by groups or individuals with intentions that could undermine national peace and security.

The warning came as tension rose in Abuja on Monday morning following reports that police fired teargas at commuters and protesters gathering at designated points for the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration.

The protest, initiated by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate, called for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021 on terrorism-related charges.

Security operatives had earlier blocked major roads in the Central Business District, resulting in traffic congestion, while several arrests were reported by eyewitnesses and civil rights activists.

As of press time, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the reported arrests or use of teargas, but normalcy was gradually returning to some parts of the city.

The situation, however, has heightened concerns over the government’s handling of pro-Biafra activism and its implications for national stability, particularly in the South-East region where Kanu commands a strong following.

Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, says he does not support separatist agitation in the south-east and believes the region’s development is closely tied to its continued unity within Nigeria.

Speaking on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels Television, Soludo said that while he respects the right to peaceful protest, he does not share Nnamdi Kanu’s secessionist vision for the Igbo nation.

He noted that the Monday “sit-at-home” directive has largely lost traction in Anambra, where residents are now going about their normal business.

“We’ve made it very clear that if you are protesting or agitating for anything, you are holding yourself down by killing your own people under the pretext of Monday’s sit-at-home,” he said.

According to him:

“Anybody sitting at home now is doing so out of his own preference, not because of insecurity, as it were, because everywhere is secure on Mondays.”

Soludo pointed out that both Kanu and his group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have publicly disowned the sit-at-home order, attributing the directive to criminal elements rather than the organisation.

“Even Nnamdi Kanu himself and his IPOB are on record to have said they did not support the Monday sit-at-home; it was some criminal elements doing that. And we thank them for their word,” he added.

He further stressed that his administration is focused more on governance and delivering results than on activism.

“As for those who are agitating or going to have demonstrations, they have a right to do so… In a democracy, everybody has freedom of expression. But mine is to govern. While social activists do their job, I will do my own.”

Soludo said he previously urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other regional leaders to engage Kanu in dialogue once he is released, noting that no single person holds a monopoly on ideas about the future of the south-east.

“I said, why don’t they tell Nnamdi Kanu to come and sit with everybody else, because nobody has a greater right than the other? We are all Igbos, and we are all entitled to our views,” he said.

The governor reiterated his belief in a united Nigeria, describing the Igbo people as a community whose strength and prosperity depend on co-existence.

“I am of the view that the Igbo man needs Nigeria and Nigeria needs the Igbo man,” Soludo said.

“The Igbo man needs Africa, and Africa needs the Igbo man. We are an itinerant people who cannot afford to be intolerant. That’s my view.”

He added:

“Do we need Nigeria? Absolutely! And Nigeria needs us. That is my very deep belief… I canvass it with no apologies and hold on to that. I’m prepared to debate this with anyone on the future prosperity of the Igbos.”

Soludo’s comments come amid growing calls for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and heightened mobilisation for the nationwide protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, scheduled for October 20 in Abuja.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021.