Police Didn’t Approach Court To Stop #FreeNnamdiKanuNow Protest — FPRO

The Nigeria Police Force has denied reports that it sought a court order to halt the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled to take place in Abuja on Monday, October 20, 2025.

In a statement on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified that the police did not approach any court to stop the protest, stressing that Nigerians have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

“It is an inalienable right of Nigerians to protest, and we did not approach the court to stop these gatherings,”
Hundeyin stated via his official X handle.

He added that some media reports misrepresented the facts, claiming that the police had filed a case to restrain the protest or that the court had adjourned proceedings to Tuesday.

“Furthermore, the case was not adjourned to Tuesday as mentioned in some reports; it reflects a one-sided narration and lacks the depth of investigative journalism,”
he said.


Following the ruling, human rights activist and protest convener, Omoyele Sowore, hailed the decision as a victory for civil liberties, confirming that the demonstration would go ahead peacefully.

“The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, dispatched police lawyers to sue me in an effort to halt the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Aso Rock Villa on Monday,” Sowore had alleged in a post on X.

However, Hundeyin’s clarification appears aimed at dispelling public tension and reaffirming the Force’s commitment to lawful protest management.

The protest, spearheaded by Sowore and civil society groups, demands the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, who remains in detention over terrorism-related charges stemming from his 2021 extradition from Kenya.