Reported by: Agande Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
Human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, has refuted claims circulating in the media that the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order stopping the proposed #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025.
Sowore clarified that the reports being pushed by police lawyers and certain media outlets are false and deliberately misleading, aimed at discouraging citizens from participating in a peaceful and lawful demonstration. According to him, Justice Umar of the Federal High Court did not grant any order restraining citizens from exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression.
He explained that the police had sought an ex parte motion to completely halt the nationwide protest, but the presiding judge declined to issue such an order. Instead, what exists, Sowore said, is a purported document “obtained in chambers” by police lawyers, which has not been formally served on any party involved in the movement. The document allegedly restricts protesters from assembling at certain symbolic locations within the capital, including Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly Complex, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
Sowore dismissed the so-called restriction as a fabrication designed to create confusion, dampen morale, and criminalize lawful civic action. He stressed that the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign, which seeks the unconditional release of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, will proceed as planned across major Nigerian cities.
“The protest date is sacrosanct; the movement is unstoppable,” Sowore declared, reaffirming that no court in the country has prohibited peaceful citizens from gathering to demand justice and accountability.
The activist accused the police of routinely abusing judicial processes to silence dissent and weaponizing misinformation to suppress legitimate activism. He maintained that Nigerians must resist such tactics, asserting that the right to protest is not a privilege but a guaranteed freedom under the 1999 Constitution.
As the protest day approaches, organizers say the demonstration will be peaceful, disciplined, and symbolic of the growing frustration among Nigerians over prolonged detentions, economic hardship, and government impunity. The controversy surrounding the alleged court order has only intensified public interest in the event, with observers noting that the outcome could mark a significant moment in the country’s civic rights struggle.
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