The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, and others from holding protests in certain areas of the Federal Capital Territory, including the Aso Rock Villa, over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria Justice Mohammed Umar granted the interim injunction on Friday after hearing an ex-parte motion filed by the police counsel, Wisdom Madaki, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The order bars the respondents from staging protests near sensitive government areas such as the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Justice Umar also ordered an abridgement of time, directing the respondents to respond to the application by Monday, October 20, 2025, contrary to earlier reports that the case was adjourned to October 21.
The certified true copy of the order, signed by the Registrar, Kasim Muazu, and the presiding judge, was made available to NAN on Saturday.
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The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, lists Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd., Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, Take It Back Movement and unknown persons as respondents.
The police sought an order to restrain or ban any protests around the restricted areas. The motion was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer from the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress had earlier mobilised for a peaceful protest demanding the release of Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter until October 20, 2025, for hearing of the substantive motion.
