Where Is The Fairness? – Barrister Aloy Ejimakor & Prince Emmanuel Kanu Remanded After #FreeNnamdiKanuNow Protest
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been remanded in Kuje Prison alongside Prince Emmanuel Kanu (Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother) and at least 11 other protesters. Their arrest followed the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration held in Abuja on October 20, 2025.
According to reports, the peaceful protest was organized to demand the immediate release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in DSS custody for years despite multiple court rulings ordering his release.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the police used tear gas and heavy barricades around major areas in Abuja, including the Transcorp axis, where several protesters — including Ejimakor and Kanu’s brother — were arrested.
What Happened at the Court Today
The arrested individuals were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kuje, where the judge ordered that Barr. Aloy Ejimakor, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and other protesters be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending further hearings.
This development has sparked outrage among civil rights activists and observers who described the move as “a clear abuse of power and a direct attack on citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”
Unanswered Questions on Fairness and Due Process
This situation raises serious legal and moral questions:
- Why arrest a lawyer and a family member for peacefully demanding justice?
- Was the court injunction properly served to the protesters before enforcement? Publishing details of a court order on social media is not equivalent to legal service, unless the court specifically approved that method.
- Why target specific protesters while leaving others, including the main organizer Omoyele Sowore, untouched — even after he confronted the police at their FCT command?
According to the police, they were acting under an ex parte injunction that prohibited protests in certain “sensitive areas” of Abuja. But reports show that Transcorp, the location where the arrests occurred, was not listed among the restricted areas. This calls into question the legal basis for the arrests.
A Question of Justice
No one has to agree with Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB, or even Sowore to recognize the injustice in this situation. When a country begins to criminalize peaceful protest, it silences voices that hold leaders accountable.
Even more troubling is the arrest of a lawyer defending his client’s constitutional rights. What message does that send to the Nigerian Bar, to the courts, and to citizens watching from the sidelines?
If freedom of expression and peaceful assembly — both guaranteed under Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution — can be trampled upon this easily, then our democracy is on a very slippery slope.
Conclusion
This is not just about Nnamdi Kanu or IPOB; it’s about every Nigerian’s right to speak and be heard without fear of arrest.
Aloy Ejimakor, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and other peaceful protesters deserve fair treatment and due process — not humiliation and indefinite detention.
As the saying goes, “Person wey dey cry still dey see road.” It’s time for Nigeria to open her eyes and do what’s right.
📌 Labels: #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, #JusticeInNigeria, #AloyEjimakor, #PrinceEmmanuelKanu, #HumanRights, #RuleOfLaw