A magistrate’s court in Kuje, Abuja, has ordered the remand of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, his younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and ten others in prison custody.
The group was arraigned on charges of inciting disturbance and breaching public peace following a protest in Abuja on Monday calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The demonstration, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, was led by former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore, who joined other protesters demanding Kanu’s immediate release. Police dispersed the gathering and arrested several participants.
Ejimakor and Kanu’s brother were among those detained and later taken before the Kuje Magistrate’s Court, where the presiding magistrate ordered their remand until Friday, pending further hearing.
In a social media post, Kanu’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, alleged that the detention was part of a wider conspiracy to delay his brother’s ongoing trial.
“This is a conspiracy from the executive, legislature, and judiciary to frustrate Kanu’s trial on Thursday,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Sowore also criticised the police, accusing the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of orchestrating the detention.
“I just learned that IGP Kayode Egbetokun sent Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and lawyer to Kuje Court to have them remanded at all costs,” he posted on Facebook.
In a separate social media post, Barrister Ejimakor confirmed that he was being held at Kuje Prison, stating that the magistrate refused to consider their legal submissions.
“The court insisted on remanding us till Friday and got its way,” he said, adding that several other magistrate courts were bypassed before their case was taken to Kuje.
The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest comes ahead of Kanu’s scheduled court appearance later this week, as he continues to face terrorism-related charges.