The Federal High Court in Abuja has denied the Nigeria Police Force’s request to halt the “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” protest, allowing it to go as planned on Monday, October 20, 2025.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had sent police attorneys to the court to file an ex parte motion against activist and protest organizer Omoyele Sowore in an attempt to legally preempt the scheduled rally at the Aso Rock Villa.
However, Justice Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, declined to grant the motion, which would have immediately restrained the protest from taking place without hearing the opposing side.
The judge instead instructed the police to formally serve notice of their application on Sowore and adjourned the case until Tuesday for a proper, contested hearing.
Omoyele Sowore, the protest organizer, praised the court’s decision as a victory for civil liberties and reiterated his commitment to the planned rally.
In a statement issued on his X page on Friday following the ruling, Sowore said, “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 the 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.”
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The action, coordinated under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, aims to raise attention to Kanu’s protracted arrest and legal situation.
The police intervention was viewed as an attempt to use the courts to prevent a potentially sensitive assembly near Nigeria’s seat of power.
The move to Tuesday means that the planned Monday protest is not currently hampered by a court order, laying the groundwork for a high-profile clash between demonstrators and security forces near the Presidential Villa.
The conclusion of the delayed hearing on Tuesday will determine the next legal measures regarding the protest’s legitimacy.
Sowore announced October 20 as the date for a protest march to demand the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the Sahara Reporters publisher, the protest would be a “historic” march to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, while assuring that it would be conducted peacefully and legally to demand the release of the IPOB leader…”
