THE Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, and several others from holding a protest in key areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including Aso Rock Villa, in connection with the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration.
News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling delivered on Friday, granted an ex parte motion filed by the Nigeria Police Force, acting on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN).
The motion sought to halt the planned protest, which was scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025, and led by Sowore to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In the order, Justice Umar barred the respondents from staging protests around Aso Rock Villa, or “anywhere close to the Villa,” as well as around the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the substantive motion.
The enrolled order, signed by the court registrar, Mr. Kasim Muazu, and the presiding judge, was made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday.
“The respondents are hereby restrained in the interim from protesting in the following areas: Aso Rock Villa, or anywhere close to the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and on Shehu Shagari Way pending the hearing of the motion on notice,” the ruling stated.
Justice Umar also abridged the time within which the respondents must respond to the substantive application seeking to vacate the order. The case has been fixed for Monday, October 20, 2025, for hearing.
This clarification comes amid earlier incorrect media reports suggesting that the case had been adjourned to October 21.
“The order of this court, together with the motion on notice, shall be served on the respondents today, Friday, the 17th day of October, 2025,”
the document further read.
The ex parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, listed five respondents: Omoyele Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation
The affidavit supporting the motion was deposed to by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer with the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The police argued that the planned protest posed security risks around sensitive national institutions and could lead to public disorder, hence the need for judicial intervention.
Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, had earlier announced plans for a peaceful protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, calling for the unconditional release of Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2021.
The activist revealed that the protest would begin at Eagle Square and proceed toward the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, describing it as a “historic and peaceful march.”
Kanu is currently facing terrorism-related charges before Justice James Omotosho of the same Federal High Court in Abuja, following his controversial extradition from Kenya in 2021.