By Chioma Obinagwam
Human rights activist Precious Oruche became the defiant face of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja on Monday, standing firm as security operatives unleashed tear gas and intimidation tactics to quell the rally demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Confiance News gathered from a viral video shared by News Central TV on X.
In the video, Oruche, speaking in Pidgin English, dismissed the security response with bold resolve: “Tear gas na water… Let them bring all the teargas. Let them bring all the bullets. Tear gas na water.” Her words underscored the protesters’ determination to persist despite aggressive dispersal efforts.
Oruche’s rallying cry extended beyond defiance, framing the protest as a stand for universal rights. “You people are playing politics with the life of a citizen. I am not here because he is Igbo. I am here because he is a citizen and he has rights. So, I am going to agitate. I am going to exercise my fundamental human rights to protest and I am saying, ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu,'” she declared, emphasizing Kanu’s detention since his 2021 extradition from Kenya on terrorism charges as a violation of basic freedoms.
The protest, led by activist Omoyele Sowore of the #RevolutionNow movement, saw hundreds converge on Abuja’s streets, targeting Aso Rock Villa but meeting resistance at Unity Fountain and Transcorp Hilton. Armed police and soldiers fired tear gas and warning shots, causing chaos in Maitama, Utako, and Gudu districts, while roadblocks paralyzed expressways. Arrests mounted, including Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejimakor, his brother, Prince Emmanuel, and two Agence France-Presse journalists, whose equipment was seized.
See the link to the viral video:
https://x.com/NewsCentralTV/status/1980250188280148098?t=GU4mAuKPtCB_CES_gB9aog&s=19
Confiance News learnt that despite a court order limiting protests near government sites, demonstrators, including clergymen and traders, pressed on, marking the fifth anniversary of #EndSARS. Solidarity actions shut down markets in Enugu, while the U.S. Embassy warned of violence, urging citizens to avoid central Abuja. Sowore, undeterred, vowed on X to continue the “mass action.”
Oruche’s fearless stance galvanized the crowd, reflecting broader calls from Southeast leaders for Kanu’s release to ease regional tensions. As tear gas lingered, her words echoed: a citizen’s rights outweigh political games, and the fight for Kanu’s freedom remains unyielding.
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