The Nigeria Police Force has urged #FreeNnamdiKanu protesters and other groups to comply with a recent Federal High Court order restricting demonstrations in parts of Abuja, warning that violators and hijackers of peaceful protests would face arrest.
The court, presided over by Justice M.G. Umar, issued the injunction on October 17, 2025, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025 — Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Omoyele Sowore & 4 others, restraining individuals or groups from staging protests near Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.
In a statement on Saturday, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police recognised citizens’ rights to peaceful assembly but stressed that such rights must be exercised responsibly and within legal limits.
“The Court’s intervention serves as a safeguard, not a suppression, of constitutional freedoms,” the statement read.
The police cautioned protesters and counter-protesters to avoid restricted areas and refrain from any act that could provoke confrontation or disrupt public order.
It added that security personnel had been deployed to ensure peace, traffic flow, and the protection of lives and property across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Force warned that anyone using protests as a cover to incite violence, carry weapons, vandalise property, or spread unrest online would be tracked and prosecuted under relevant laws.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the FCT Commissioner of Police and other commands to enforce the court order and maintain public safety.
The police urged organisers and participants to avoid restricted zones, desist from provocative acts, and channel grievances through lawful means while assuring residents of adequate security arrangements across Abuja.
