By James
Kindly share:
The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the request of the Nigeria Police Force’s to prevent the “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” protest, slated for Monday, October 20, 2025.
Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), had filed an ex parte motion to stop Omoyele Sowore, the protest organiser and activist, from holding the demonstration near Aso Rock Villa, the seat of Nigeria’s government.
However, Justice Umar of the Federal High Court turned down the motion, thereby paving the way for the protest to go on as planned.
Rather than grant their request, the judge directed the police to serve Sowore with formal notice of their application and adjourned the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.
Omoyele Sowore, the. Organiser of the protest received the ruling with joy, description as a victory for civil liberties.
Writing in a statement posted on his 𝕏 handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday, the activist reaffirmed his commitment to going ahead with the protest.
“IG of PoliceNG Kayode Egbetokun dispatched police lawyers to sue me, in an effort to halt the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Aso Rock Villa on Monday. However, the judge, Justice Umar of Federal High Court in Abuja, refused to grant the ex parte motion, instead instructing him to serve me notice and adjourning the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing,” Sowore wrote.
Holding under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, the protest intends to draw attention to the plight the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained for long, with his trial not making serious headway.
The police’s attempt to halt the protest using the courts was seen as an effort to prevent what could be a highly sensitive demonstration near Nigeria’s seat of power.
However, Justice Umar’s may have set the stage for a likely clash between the protesters and security agencies at the Presidential Villa.
While announcing his intention to organize the protest, Sowore had stated that the protest was a constitutional right meant to address what he described as the unjust detention of Kanu, promising that it would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.
