Hearing in the police suit against Omoyele Sowore and other conveners of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, on Monday, suffered a setback as court activities at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court came to a halt.

As of 9:30 a.m., when journalists got access to the premises of the high-rise building that houses no fewer than 13 courts, all the courtrooms were under lock and key.

Although very few court workers, lawyers, litigants, and private guards of the court were seen in the premises, no judge was sighted.

There were heavy security deployments with water cannons in and around the intersection between Gana Street and Shehu Shagari Way by Nicon Hilton Hotel, the popular NITEL Junction at Wuse 2, Federal Secretariat environs, and National Assembly Junction, leading to Asokoro District and into the Presidential Villa.

Movement of vehicles was disallowed, and many pedestrians were denied walking through the restricted areas, while police fired tear gas in some places.

Justice Mohammed Umar had, on Friday, fixed today for the respondents in the ex parte motion filed by the police to show cause why the interim order made by the court should be vacated.

Mr Umar had restrained Mr Sowore, the 1st respondent, and others from protesting in some sensitive areas in Abuja, including the Aso Rock Villa, today for the release of detained Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

The judge also barred the protesters from anywhere close to the villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice. The judge had granted the ex parte motion moved by the police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, on Friday.

The judge also made an order of abridgement of time “within which the respondents will respond to the application on notice to cause the ex parte order to be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025, at 9:00am”.

Mr Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until October 20 (today) for the hearing of the motion on notice. The ex parte motion was marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025.

In the affidavit supporting the ex parte motion deposed to by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services at Force Headquarters, Abuja, the officer averred that if not granted, the protest might threaten national security.

Mr Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, had planned to organise the protest for the release of Mr Kanu.

Mr Sowore, the 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, had begun mobilisation for what he called a planned peaceful protest against Mr Kanu’s detention.

However, there have also been ongoing calls for a political solution to Mr Kanu’s trial, who is facing an alleged terrorism offence at the Federal High Court before Justice James Omotosho.

(NAN)