The United States government has issued a security warning to its citizens in Nigeria ahead of the planned October 20 protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement released through its embassy in Abuja on Friday, the U.S. advised Americans to exercise “heightened security precautions” and avoid specific areas of the capital city during the demonstration.
According to the alert, the protest—organized by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore—is expected to take place around Eagle Square and the Central Business District, areas the embassy fears could experience clashes between protesters and security forces.
“There may be roadblocks, traffic congestion, and confrontations between police and protestors that could turn violent,” the statement read.
The embassy urged U.S. citizens to avoid the protest zones and limit all movement within Abuja on Monday, October 20. It further recommended that children remain at home and that domestic staff who travel from outside Abujashould not report to work on that day.
Sowore has maintained that the demonstration will be peaceful, insisting that the protest aims to pressure the federal government into releasing Kanu, who has been in custody since June 2021 after his controversial extradition from Kenya.
Kanu currently faces terrorism-related charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Naija News reports that security agencies are already on alert ahead of the planned protest, as concerns mount over potential disruptions in the capital.