Authorities closed EDA Plaza, a busy building-materials and shopping complex in the Jabi area of Abuja, earlier today after police deployed teargas to break up a march that moved into the neighbourhood. Witnesses said protesters seeking the release of detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu and allied demonstrators clashed with security forces along Jabi Road, prompting some people to rush into the plaza to escape the clouds of gas and the melee. 

Traders and customers at the plaza were forced to evacuate as officers fired canisters into the compound, according to ground reports and eyewitness accounts, which described shoppers fainting and vending stalls abandoned in the panic. Local outlets reported that the plaza remained shut later in the day while security operatives and officials assessed the scene; social media footage circulating from the area showed people coughing and seeking fresh air after the dispersal. 

The heavy-handed response in parts of the capital reflects a wider crackdown during nationwide demonstrations over Kanu’s detention, with authorities deploying tear gas and other crowd-control measures in several Abuja districts to prevent marches from reaching central government buildings. International and local news agencies say the police action has heightened tensions and drawn renewed attention to the security forces’ handling of protests across Nigeria.