Streets in Southeast Nigeria were full as thousands of protesters demanded the release of an activist who operated an illegal radio station that is calling for a separate state of Biafra.
The protests exposes the ethnic issues in the country which was once marked by a civil war that left more than a million people dead following three years of fighting triggered by a unilateral declaration of independent Republic of Biafra in 1967.
The commercial hub of Abia, known as Aba had over 2,000 people demonstrating in the streets carrying placards with slogans, some waving Biafran flag which is a red, black and green colours with a golden rising sun, others wore T-shirts and caps with the image of the Radio Biafra director and founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The government took Radio Biafra off air in July for allegations of using hate messages. Kanu was arrested last month under charges of criminal conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society and criminal intimidation.
Nigeria’s secret police were ordered by a court in Abuja to bring Kanu to court next Monday.
There has been growing tension since Kanu was detained, leading to demonstrations in major cities in South Eastern of Nigeria.
There have also been fears of crack down on protesters. Last week, police fired into the air and threw tear gas to disperse Biafran supporters in their hundreds.
