A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore and others behind the planned protest for the release on Nnamdi Kanu of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from taking their activities anywhere close to the presidential villa, Aso Rock, Abuja and other important national institutions.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Friday, also barred Sowore and his associates in the protest planned for October 20 to also steer clear of National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice filed by the police, on behalf of the Federal Government.
In a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the order, signed on Saturday, Justice Umar said: “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.
“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 order of this court together with the motion on notice be served on the respondents today, Friday, the 17th day of October, 2025.”
Justice Umar adjourned till October 20 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The ruling was on a motion ex-parte, filed in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025 filed by the police.
Listed as respondents are 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.
Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (ACC) in 2019 and 2023 recently announced plan a protest to compel the Federal Government to release Kanu, who being tried on a terrorism charge.
The prosecution, in the case before a Federal High Court in Abuja, has sincled closed its case after calling five witnesses and rendering evidence including video a d audio recordings of Kanu’s activities as IPOB leader.
On October 16, the presiding judge Kanu’s terrorism trial, Justice James Omotosho, read the concluding part of the report in the open court after Agabi confirmed that he received and read the report of the medical examination of his client by the NMA team.
The report concluded that the ailments that Kanu complained about were not life threatening and that he was fit to continue to stand trial.
When asked by the judge whether he had seen the report, Agabi confirmed receiving a copy, which he said he read and shared with members of his team.
Agabi told the court that the defence team had nothing against the report.
It was at the point that Justice Omotosho announced that, in view of the accelerated hearing earlier granted in the case, he would adjourned for six consecutive days for the defence to open and close its case.
The judge then requested Agabi and Awomolo to agree on the dates convenient for them, following which the two lawyers suggested October 23 for the commencement of the defendant’s case.
Shortly before he adjourned for the day, Justice Omotosho granted an oral application by Agabi that Kanu’s legal team be granted private consultation opportunity with the defendant, outside the premises of the Department of State Services (DSS), before the commencement of his defence.
Agabi said the defendant’s legal team was afraid that its consultation with him (Kanu) could be secretly tapped or recorded by the DSS.
Justice Omotosho also acceded to Agabi’s request that the private meeting with Kanu be held in the courtroom, during which only the defendant and his lawyers would be present. Agabi chose October 22, a day before the date set for Kanu to open his defence.
Based on Agabi’s request, Justice Omotosho ordered that the private consultation meeting between Kanu and his legal team should hold within the courtroom between 9am and 12noon on October 22, while the trial will resume on October 23.
