Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has called on Nigerians across the country to hit the streets in a mass protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, despite a court order restricting demonstrations around key government institutions in Abuja.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning, Sowore urged citizens to come out boldly and peacefully for the movement tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.
“Good morning, wherever you may be this morning, do not stop moving. Carry a sign, sing a song, make a statement!” he wrote.
A night earlier, the Sahara Reporters publisher had welcomed protesters in a post that read:
“We warmly welcome everyone who has travelled from far and wide to join the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest tomorrow. Your courage, sacrifice, and solidarity speak volumes. Together, we are writing history.”
According to Sowore, demonstrators are expected to assemble at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, by 7 a.m. on Monday. He charged participants to come “ready, peaceful, and determined,” adding that the goal was to mobilise one million Nigerians in the capital.
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“We want to put one million people on the streets of Abuja tomorrow for #FreeNnamdiKanuNow — let’s make it happen,” he wrote on Facebook.
However, the planned protest is coming in defiance of an interim injunction reportedly issued by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The order restrains Sowore and his supporters from demonstrating around sensitive areas such as the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Eagle Square, Force Headquarters, and the Court of Appeal.
Reacting to the court directive, Sowore dismissed it as hypocritical and politically motivated.
“Suppose a court order truly exists restricting protests around Aso Rock Villa; it begs the question: why hasn’t the same police force obtained a similar order against those protesting freely for three consecutive days opposing Nnamdi Kanu’s release?” he queried.
“The hypocrisy is glaring. The double standards are undeniable,” he added.
Sowore revealed that his legal team of 115 lawyers is prepared to challenge the order once formally served, insisting that the protest would go ahead as planned.
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“October 20 #FreeNnamdiKanuNow remains sacrosanct. We march peacefully, lawfully, and powerfully,” he declared.
The date also carries symbolic weight marking five years since the #EndSARS protests that shook Nigeria in October 2020, calling for police reform and justice for victims of brutality, including those allegedly killed at the Lekki Toll Gate.
With growing anticipation online and offline, today’s planned march could test the government’s tolerance for dissent and possibly reignite conversations about freedom, justice, and the limits of lawful protest in Nigeria.
