A planned protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has triggered a sweeping security lockdown around the Presidential Villa and other parts of Abuja in the early hours of Monday.

Investigations revealed that the demonstration was spearheaded by the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore.

The development paralysed traffic across key entry points into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with security operatives mounting barricades at major roads leading into the city.

Access into the Three Arms Zone, home to the seat of government, was heavily restricted, as combined teams of soldiers, police, and hooded Department of State Services (DSS) operatives enforced stringent stop-and-search checks.

Staff of the Presidential Villa had a difficult time gaining entry, with even those holding valid parking permits being turned back and redirected to alternative lots outside the complex.

A bewildered worker wrote on social media: “Please, can someone find out what is going on in the Villa? All access roads are blocked. Nobody is allowed in, even with tags.”

The ripple effect of the security clampdown spread far beyond the Villa.

Commuters on the Keffi-Abuja expressway were stranded for hours after soldiers barricaded the Karu Bridge before the Sani Abacha Barracks as early as 4 a.m., halting vehicles to conduct rigorous checks.

Civil servants and traders commuting from Nyanya, Karu, Mararaba, and Masaka were the hardest hit by the gridlock.

Similar scenes played out along the Dutse-Bwari and Airport Road corridors.

Motorists from the airport axis were diverted at the National Mosque, with security agents blocking the route to the Central Business District.

An advisory circulated among workers read: “Good morning, dear colleagues, please, if you are coming from Airport Road to Central Area, follow Area 1. Security blocked from the National Mosque.”

Several roads leading to the Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, and National Assembly were also cordoned off, with armed personnel maintaining a visible presence to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Nnamdi Kanu, arrested and extradited to Nigeria in June 2021, remains in detention despite multiple court orders for his release. His supporters have consistently pressed for his freedom, citing worsening health conditions.