A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining activist Omoyele Sowore and others from holding the planned October 20 protest demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The injunction followed an ex parte motion by the Federal Government, filed through the Nigeria Police Force, seeking to stop the demonstration in the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice M. G. Umar granted the order, barring Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and unspecified individuals from participating in or promoting the protest.
The suit is marked FHC/ABJ/2202/2025.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Sowore, a former presidential candidate, claimed the ruling was made privately after the judge had earlier declined to grant the motion in open court.
“In open court, the judge refused to stop our protest. But in chambers, he issued an order banning protests at Aso Rock, the National Assembly, and Unity Fountain,” Sowore wrote on social media.
Organisers had announced plans to stage a mass protest on October 20, marching to key government locations in Abuja to demand Kanu’s release from the Department of State Services (DSS). The movement had garnered online momentum and political endorsements from a former Vice President and a former Senate President.
The Federal Government argued that the protest could disrupt public peace and security, urging the court to intervene.
Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021, facing terrorism and treason charges. Initially arrested in 2015 and released on bail in 2017, Kanu fled the country after a military raid on his home in Abia State. He was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria.
In 2022, a Federal High Court struck out eight of the 15 charges against him. Later, the Court of Appeal ordered his release and dismissed the remaining charges. However, the Supreme Court reversed that ruling in December 2023, allowing his trial to continue.
Public calls for Kanu’s release have intensified, with the now-suspended October 20 protest planned as a major show of support.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a security alert to its citizens, advising them to avoid areas where the protest was scheduled to take place.
The advisory warned of potential roadblocks, traffic disruptions, and clashes between protesters and police, particularly around Eagle Square and the Central Business District.
“US citizens are advised to avoid protest areas and limit movement throughout the city on Monday, October 20,” the embassy said.
It also recommended that children stay home from school and domestic staff refrain from commuting from outside Abuja on the protest day.
The embassy urged Americans to maintain a low profile, avoid large gatherings, monitor local news, and stay updated via its official website.
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