Protesters in Nigeria staged a rally on Tuesday to demand the release of Afrobeat star Seun Kuti

Protesters in Nigeria staged a rally on Tuesday to demand the release of Afrobeat star Seun Kuti, who was arrested earlier this month after being accused of assaulting a police officer at the Mall Lagos Trade. Kuti is the son of Nigerian music icon and political agitator Fela, who has been subjected to mass detention by the Nigerian military regime.

Although he was eligible for bail, the police refused to release him. Originally scheduled for May 23, Kuti’s trial was delayed due to the absence of the presiding judge without an official explanation. The court clerk confirmed that the case was adjourned until Wednesday. Outside the court, a group claiming to be a member of the

“Operation for Seun Kuti’s Release” organized a protest, demanding the immediate release of the artist. Gideon Adeyeni, one of the protesters campaigning for Kuti’s release, said the way the government and police treated him showed they were “interested in persecuting him”.

Kuti was charged by the Lagos State Police Command charged Kuti with beating a police officer. The incident between Seun Kuti and the policeman was filmed by a passerby and shared on social media, quickly spreading rapidly.

The police then issued a warrant for his arrest and he voluntarily surrendered to the Lagos Police. During the court proceedings, the police prosecutor requested the defendant’s detention for 21 days until a legal opinion was received from the General Public Prosecutor’s Office. Sehun’s security team objected to this proposal.