The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order to restrain Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, and other associated groups from protesting in several key areas of Abuja on Monday, October 20, for the release of detained Nnamdi Kanu.
The court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, barred the respondents “in the interim from protesting” in locations including the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, or “anywhere close to Villa,” pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Justice Umar granted the ex-parte motion on Friday, which was moved by police lawyer Wisdom Madaki on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN). This ruling was contrary to earlier circulating media reports.
The certified true copy of the enrolled order, which was made available to NAN on Saturday, also contained an order of abridgement of time for the respondents to respond to the application and cause the ex-parte order to be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025 at 9.00am.
This schedule was also contrary to some media reports that stated the matter was adjourned until October 21.
The specific order read: “The respondents are hereby restrained in the interim from protesting in the following Areas; Aso Rock Villa, or anywhere close to Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and on Shehu Shagari way pending the hearing of the motion on notice.”
It continued: “The court hereby abridged time within which the respondents will respond to the application on notice to cause this ex-parte order be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025 at 9.00am.”
The judge further directed that “The order of this court together with the motion on notice be served on the respondents today, Friday, the 17th day of October, 2025.”
The enrolled order concluded: “ISSUED AT ABUJA under the Hand of the Presiding Judge, Honourable Justice M. G. Umar, and the Seal of the Court this 17th day of October, 2025.”
The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025 and filed by the police on October 16, sought one key relief: “An order of this honourable court restraining or ban protesters from protesting in the following areas, Aso Rock Villa or anywhere close to Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari way.”
The five respondents sued were Omoyele Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters’ Media Foundation, Take It Back Movement (TIB), for the Transformation of Nigeria Or Any Form of Organisation or Any Other Person(s) Acting Either Express or Implied Instruction or Any Other Organisation or Group With the Like Intention, and Unknown Persons as the 1st to 5th respondents, respectively.
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