By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim injunction stopping activist Omoyele Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and others from organising or participating in the planned October 20 protest demanding the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The order, issued by Justice M.G. Umar, followed an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force, which argued that the planned protest could threaten public peace and national security within the Federal Capital Territory.
In the ruling, the court specifically barred the respondents from staging or promoting any demonstration around the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, and Unity Fountain in Abuja.
Reacting to the development, Sowore alleged that the order was granted “in chambers” after the same request had earlier been declined in open court. “After initially rejecting the motion to stop our protest in open court, the judge reportedly granted it in chambers,” he wrote on his social media page, describing the move as an attempt to suppress dissent.
The #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, scheduled for Monday, 20 October, had gained significant online traction and received support from several political figures, including a former Vice President and a former Senate President. Organisers had vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2021 on charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony, continues to attract widespread calls for his release amid a prolonged legal battle.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a security alert to its citizens ahead of the planned protest, warning of potential violence and traffic disruptions in the Central Business District, Eagle Square, and surrounding areas. The embassy advised its nationals to avoid protest zones, limit movement, and maintain a low profile throughout Monday.
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