In a direct defiance to court order, human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has vowed to proceed with a planned protest for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, despite a Federal High Court order restricting such gatherings in central Abuja.
The protest, scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025, under the banner #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, seeks the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu has been in custody since his controversial extradition from Kenya in 2021, facing terrorism-related charges.
The confrontation was ignited after the Nigeria Police Force issued a warning, citing a court order from Justice M. Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The order, delivered on Friday, restrains Sowore and others from staging protests within and around sensitive locations including Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, the Force Headquarters, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that while the police respect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, such rights must be exercised “responsibly and within the limits of the law.” He warned that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the FCT Commissioner of Police to ensure strict enforcement, and that anyone flouting the order would face prosecution.
Undeterred, Sowore took to social media to declare the protest “sacrosanct.” He announced that his legal team of 115 lawyers is prepared to challenge the court order once they are formally served on Monday. “But let it be known that nothing can stop this mass movement,” he stated. “We march peacefully, lawfully, and powerfully.”
Sowore further accused the police of “glaring hypocrisy” and “undeniable double standards.” He questioned why the police had not sought a similar court order to stop groups that have been protesting for three consecutive days against Nnamdi Kanu’s release, suggesting selective application of the law.
The standoff sets the stage for a major test of civic authority and protest rights in the nation’s capital. With the U.S. Embassy having issued a security alert and the police promising “visible deployments,” Abuja braces for a tense confrontation as Sowore’s followers and state security forces appear headed for a clash.
Discussion about this post