BREAKING: Court Frees Sowore And 12 Other #FreeNnamdiKanu Protesters On Bail
Activist and newspaper publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and 12 other persons arrested during the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest have been granted bail by a magistrate’s court in Abuja.
Among those granted bail was Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nnamdi Kanu’s disengaged counsel.
While others were arrested during the protest on October 20, Sowore was picked up on Thursday while leaving the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja. He was in court to show solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who is facing charges of terrorism and incitement to violence.
The police explained that Sowore was arrested for luring protesters into a restricted area to protest in contravention of an order of a court.
“Sowore has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force and the reason is that the 13 people who were arrested previously in connection with “FreeNnadiKanu” protest gave their statements.
“From the statements, every one of them mentioned that one Sowore led them into the restricted area in contravention of the court order.
“So it would be most unfair to charge some people to court and leave the person who led them to commit the offence.
“And that’s why, in the spirit of fair play, and to ensure that justice is served, Sowore was arrested…,” Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, had said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court has fixed October 29 for hearing of the suit filed by the police against Sowore and others.
The suit, which was earlier scheduled for Monday for the respondents in the ex parte motion to show cause why the interim order made by the court should be vacated, could not go on.
The hearing was stalled as a result of the protest which held same day, crippling the court activities at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Mohammed Umar had made an interim order, restraining Sowore and others from protesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu in some sensitive areas in Abuja.
Justice Umar barred the protesters from demonstrating around the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
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 be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025, at 9.00 am,” before adjourning until Oct. 20 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The order followed the ex parte motion moved by the police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, on behalf of Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) last Friday.
The Police Force, in the ex parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, had sued Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, and Sahara Reporters’ Media Foundation as 1st to 3rd respondents.
The force also joined 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 as 4th to 5th respondents respectively.
In the affidavit in support of the ex-parte motion deposed to by Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja, the officer averred that if not granted, the protest might threaten national security.
Sowore organised the protest to demand the release of Kanu.
