The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 29, 2025, for hearing in the suit filed by the Nigeria Police Forceagainst activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore and other conveners of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
Naija Blog reports that the case, earlier slated for hearing on Monday, was stalled after protesters stormed the court premises, disrupting normal activities.
Presiding Judge Justice Mohammed Umar had earlier issued an interim order restraining Sowore and his co-conveners from staging demonstrations in sensitive areas of Abuja, including Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, the Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the determination of the substantive motion.
The ex-parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, was filed by police counsel Wisdom Madaki on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Respondents in the case include Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, the Take It Back Movement (TIB), and “unknown persons.”
In an affidavit, Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, alleged that the planned protest posed a threat to national security if not curtailed.
Meanwhile, several demonstrators were arrested during the protest on October 20, including Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and Kanu’s brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu. They are expected to be arraigned on October 24 at a Magistrate Court in Kuje.
In a separate development, Sowore was arrested again on Thursday by armed policemen at the Federal High Court premises shortly after attending Kanu’s trial.
When confronted, one of the officers reportedly told him, “The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office.” Despite demanding a formal invitation, Sowore was taken away in a police van, accompanied by his lawyer.