Henry Nwodo, a prominent activist, was arrested by armed police officers on Sunday night in the Ruga-Fulani area of Abuja, just hours before a planned protest against police harassment and extortion.
Eyewitnesses reported that five armed officers detained Nwodo at around 8:30 p.m. as he arrived at the local market.
One bystander, Rose, described how the officers immediately apprehended him after he disembarked from a motorcycle.
“He resisted, but they beat him, seized his phone, and forced him into an unmarked car before driving away,” she said.
Nwodo, a member of the Take It Back Movement, was one of the key organizers of the #OccupyPoliceHQ protest, set for Monday, January 27, at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.
His housemate, Emiola Osifeso, confirmed that Nwodo had gone to the night market to buy rice for dinner when the arrest took place.
“Eyewitnesses said the police vehicle had been stationed there for hours before he arrived,” Osifeso added, suggesting that local vigilantes may have tipped off the police about Nwodo’s presence.
The planned protest was sparked by a viral video shared by activist Omoyele Sowore, which exposed alleged police extortion at a checkpoint in Lagos.
In response, Sowore has been summoned to the police headquarters in Abuja on Monday, January 27, where he faces charges including resisting public officers, cyberstalking, and reckless acts.
The police have instructed him to report to the Force Intelligence Department by 10 a.m., with the option to bring legal representation.
Sowore, who revealed that authorities had been searching for him, expressed his willingness to cooperate. “I’m currently in Abuja and ready for their questioning,” he said.