The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a request by the Nigeria Police Force to stop the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025, allowing the demonstration to go ahead.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had sent police lawyers to court seeking an ex parte order to stop the protest led by activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
However, Justice Umar of the Federal High Court refused to grant the police request, saying the matter could not be decided without hearing from both sides. The judge instead ordered the police to serve Sowore with formal notice of their application and adjourned the case until Tuesday for a full hearing.
Reacting to the ruling, Sowore described the decision as “a victory for civil liberties” and confirmed that the protest would go ahead as planned.
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He wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account: “IG of Police Kayode Egbetokun dispatched police lawyers to sue me in an effort to halt the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Aso Rock Villa on Monday. However, Justice Umar refused to grant the ex parte motion and adjourned the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.”
The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest aims to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in detention since June 2021 on terrorism-related charges.
The police move to stop the demonstration was widely seen as an attempt to prevent a potentially sensitive protest near Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
With the case adjourned until Tuesday, the protest is now expected to take place without any legal restrictions, setting the stage for a possible standoff between protesters and security forces in Abuja.
The outcome of Tuesday’s hearing will determine the next legal steps on whether the protest can continue in the future.