By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and others from staging a protest in some parts of Abuja, including the Aso Rock Villa, over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The order, granted by Justice Mohammed Umar on Friday, followed an ex-parte motion filed by the Nigeria Police Force through its counsel, Wisdom Madaki, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN).
In the ruling, the court barred the respondents from protesting anywhere close to the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Contrary to some earlier media reports, the certified true copy of the enrolled order, signed by Registrar Kasim Muazu and Justice Umar, indicated that the case was adjourned until Monday, October 20, 2025, for hearing not October 21 as previously reported.
The judge also granted an order of abridgement of time within which the respondents are to respond to the application to set aside the interim order.
“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 Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice,” the court ordered.
“The order of this court together with the motion on notice shall be served on the respondents today, Friday, October 17, 2025,” it added.
The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, was filed on October 16 and sought one key relief — to restrain Sowore and others from protesting in or near sensitive national areas.
The five respondents named in the suit include Omoyele Sowore, Sahara Reporters Limited, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, and “Unknown Persons or Groups Acting Under Similar Intentions.”
An affidavit supporting the motion was deposed to by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Our correspondent reports that Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 and 2023, had reportedly begun mobilization for what he described as a peaceful protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, aimed at demanding the release of Kanu.
Meanwhile, there have been renewed calls from various quarters for a political solution to Kanu’s ongoing trial before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where he faces terrorism-related charges.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
