A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and others from holding a planned protest on October 20 calling for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice M. G. Umar granted the interim order after the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Police Force, filed an ex parte application to prevent the demonstration in the Federal Capital Territory. The case was marked FHC/ABJ/2202/2025.
The court’s ruling restrains Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and “persons unknown” from organising or participating in the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest.
Reacting to the decision, Sowore said the injunction was granted secretly after the judge had earlier refused to stop the protest in open court.
“After initially declining to grant an ex parte motion to stop our planned protest in open court, the judge reportedly granted it in chambers, imposing a ban on protests at Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, and the Unity Fountain in Abuja,” he said on his social media page.
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Sowore and other civil society groups had planned to march on October 20 to demand Kanu’s immediate release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). The protest had gained wide attention online and was supported by several political figures, including a former Vice President and a former Senate President.
The Federal Government argued that the protest could threaten public peace and security, urging the court to act quickly to stop it.
Kanu has been in DSS custody since June 2021, facing terrorism and treasonable felony charges. He was first arrested in 2015 and released on bail in 2017, but fled the country after soldiers invaded his home in Abia State. He was later re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in 2021.
While the Court of Appeal had ordered his release in 2022, the Supreme Court overturned that decision in December 2023, allowing his trial to continue.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Abuja has warned its citizens to stay away from the protest areas on Monday, October 20. In a security alert posted on its website, the embassy said the protest could lead to roadblocks, traffic congestion, or even violence around Eagle Square and the Central Business District.
“The US Embassy in Abuja informs US citizens that the Free Nnamdi Kanu Now protest has called for peaceful demonstrations on Monday, October 20, 2025, in Abuja. There may be roadblocks, traffic congestion, and confrontations between police and protesters that could turn violent,” the statement read.
The embassy advised Americans in Nigeria to avoid large gatherings, monitor local news, and maintain a low profile. It also recommended that children stay home from school and domestic workers from outside Abuja remain indoors during the protest.
While confirming that its offices in Abuja and Lagos will remain open, the embassy urged US citizens to stay updated through its official website.