The incident occurred in several parts of the Federal
Capital Territory, FCT, including the Three Arms Zone, Maitama, and Jabi, where
demonstrators had gathered to demand Kanu’s release from prolonged detention by
the Department of State Services.

Protesters reportedly attempted to march towards the Three
Arms Zone — an area that houses key national institutions such as the
Presidential Villa, the National Assembly, and the Court of Appeal — prompting
police operatives to fire tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin,
defended the police action, insisting that it was carried out in line with
existing legal restrictions on protests in sensitive areas of the FCT.

In a post on his X handle on Monday, Hundeyin said: “Police
tear-gassed protesters attempting to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention
of a court order restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly,
Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.

“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We
carried out our mandate.

And we did not block the road but cleared it after it was
blocked by the protesters to enable other Nigerians easy passage to their
respective destinations.”