Court Restrains Sowore, Others From Protesting Near Aso Rock Over #FreeNnamdiKanuNow

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order barring Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, and several others from holding protests in certain areas of the Federal Capital Territory, including Aso Rock Villa, in connection with the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration scheduled for Monday.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court also restricted protests near the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of a motion on notice.

Justice Mohammed Umar, presiding over the case, granted the ex parte motion filed by police counsel Wisdom Madaki on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN). This ruling contradicts earlier media reports that suggested a different adjournment date.

A certified true copy of the order, signed by court registrar Kasim Muazu and Justice Umar, was made available to reporters on Saturday in Abuja.

In his ruling, Justice Umar stated:

“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 court also abridged the time within which the respondents must respond to the application, scheduling the hearing for Monday, October 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, was filed by the police against five respondents: Omoyele Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, Take It Back (TIB) Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria or any similar organisation, and unknown persons.

In the motion dated October 16, the police sought an order restraining protests in the listed high-security zones. The affidavit supporting the motion was sworn by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer from the Directorate of Legal Services at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Sowore, who ran for president under the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 and 2023, had mobilized for what he described as a peaceful protest demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu is currently facing terrorism-related charges before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, amid renewed calls for a political resolution to his case.

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