Court Turns Down Police Bid To Stop Pro-Kanu Protest

By Ayodele Oni

As the countdown to the “Free Nnamdi KanuNow” protest draws nearer, a Federal High Court in Abuja has refused the Nigeria Police Force’s bid to stop the protest, allowing it to proceed as scheduled on Monday.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had filed an ex-parte motion against the protest organiser, Omoyele Sowore, in a bid to stop the demonstration slated for the Aso Rock Villa.

However, Justice Umar of a Federal High Court, Abuja, declined to grant the motion. It said rather it will proper to put the organisers on notice.

The judge instructed the police to formally serve notice of the application on Sowore and adjourned the case until Tuesday for hearing.

Reacting to the judicial decision, the protest convener, Sowore, affirmed the court’s decision as a victory for civil liberties and doubled down on the scheduled protest.

In a statement issued on his X handle on Friday following the ruling, Sowore said, “IG of PoliceNG Kayode Egbetokun dispatched police lawyers to sue me, in an effort to halt the FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Aso Rock Villa on Monday.

“However, the judge, Justice Umar of Federal High Court in Abuja, refused to grant the ex parte motion, instead instructing him to serve me notice and adjourning the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.”

The demonstration, organised under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, is intended to draw attention to the prolonged detention and legal fate of Kanu.

Sowore announced October 20 as the date for a protest march to demand the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Sowore made this known on his X handle.

According to him, the protest would be a “historic” march to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, while assuring that it would be conducted peacefully and legally to demand the release of the IPOB leader.