The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining activist Omoyele Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and other associates from organizing or participating in the planned October 20 protest calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Justice M.G. Umar granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government, acting through the Nigeria Police Force, which argued that the proposed demonstration could pose a threat to public peace and national security within the Federal Capital Territory.
The court specifically barred the respondents from staging or promoting any protest within or around Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, and the Unity Fountain in Abuja.
In his reaction, Sowore alleged that the injunction was obtained “in chambers”, after a similar request was earlier declined in open court.
> “After initially rejecting the motion to stop our protest in open court, the judge reportedly granted it in chambers,” Sowore wrote on his social media page, describing the move as “an attempt to silence dissent.”
The planned #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, slated for Monday, October 20, had gathered significant momentum online, receiving support from several political figures, including a former Vice President and a former Senate President. Organizers had vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s unconditional release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu has remained in detention since June 2021, facing charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony, even as calls for his release continue to echo from rights groups and political leaders across the country.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a security advisory ahead of the scheduled protest, warning of possible violence and traffic disruptions in the Central Business District, Eagle Square, and surrounding areas.
The embassy advised U.S. citizens in the capital to avoid protest zones, restrict movement, and maintain a low profile throughout the day.
