The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled against the Nigeria Police Force’s request to prevent the “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” protest, allowing the demonstration to go ahead as planned on Monday, October 20, 2025.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had dispatched lawyers to file 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 refused to grant the motion, which sought to immediately halt the protest without hearing Sowore’s side of the argument. Instead, the judge directed the police to serve Sowore with formal notice of their application and adjourned the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.
In response to the court’s decision, Omoyele Sowore called it a victory for civil liberties and reaffirmed his commitment to going ahead with the protest. In a statement posted on his 𝕏 handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday, 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 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.”
The protest, organized under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, is intended to draw attention to the prolonged detention and legal fate of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
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 decision to allow the protest to proceed signals that the planned demonstration is not immediately constrained by a court order.
With the case adjourned, the October 20 protest is set to proceed unless the outcome of the Tuesday hearing alters its status. This development sets the stage for a potential confrontation between the protesters and security agencies at the Presidential Villa.
Sowore had previously announced October 20 as the date for a historic march demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
In his post, he assured that the protest would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner, emphasising that the protest was a constitutional right aimed at addressing what he described as the unjust detention of Kanu.
