Protesters Defy Court Order, Vow to Storm Presidential Villa. According to report by Punch on Monday, October 20, 2025, tensions are mounting in Abuja as security forces prepare for a possible confrontation with #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters, who plan to march to the Presidential Villa today (Monday) to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This comes despite an interim injunction by the Federal High Court in Abuja restricting demonstrations near sensitive government areas, including Aso Rock, the National Assembly, and Force Headquarters. The organisers, led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and the Take It Back Movement, have vowed to proceed with what they describe as a peaceful protest, both in Abuja and across the South-East. Damilare Adenola, the group’s Director of Mobilisation, maintained that the march is a constitutional right and a stand against the government’s “illegal and inhumane” actions. Kanu remains in detention facing charges of terrorism, treason, and incitement. His 2021 re-arrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria continue to spark legal and political debates. While critics view his detention as politically motivated, the government insists it is lawful prosecution. The protest’s timing, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the #EndSARS demonstrations, has heightened government anxiety. Organisers, however, insist that they have informed the police and expect them to provide security rather than clamp down on protesters. Over 115 lawyers, medical staff, and journalists have been mobilised nationwide to support the march. The movement has received broad political support, with opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi backing calls for Kanu’s release and urging dialogue instead of repression.

Court Stops Sowore, Others from Holding October 20 #FreeNnamdiKanu Protest in Abuja. A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim injunction restraining activist Omoyele Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and others from organising or participating in the planned October 20 protest demanding the release of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The order, issued by Justice M.G. Umar, followed an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force, which argued that the planned demonstration could threaten public peace and national security within the Federal Capital Territory. The court specifically barred the respondents from staging or promoting any protest around the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, and Unity Fountain in Abuja. Sowore, however, alleged that the order was granted “in chambers” after the same request had earlier been declined in open court. “After initially rejecting the motion to stop our protest in open court, the judge reportedly granted it in chambers,” he wrote on his social media page, calling the move an attempt to silence dissent. The #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, scheduled for Monday, October 20, had gained traction online and received endorsement from several political figures, including a former Vice President and a former Senate President. Organisers had vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). Kanu, who has been detained since June 2021 on charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony, has continued to attract widespread calls for release amid a lengthy legal battle. Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a security alert to its citizens ahead of the planned demonstration, warning of potential v+olence and traffic disruptions in the Central Business District, Eagle Square, and surrounding areas. The embassy advised its nationals to avoid protest zones, limit movement, and maintain a low profile throughout Monday.

Court Bans #FreeNnamdiKanu Protest Around Aso Rock, National Assembly. A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim injunction restraining Omoyele Sowore and other activists from organising or participating in the planned October 20 protest calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Naija News reports that the order follows an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government, represented by the Nigeria Police Force, seeking to prevent the demonstration in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a ruling delivered by Justice M.G. Umar, the court prohibited Sowore, the Take It Back Movement, the #RevolutionNow group, and “persons unknown” from participating in, organising, or promoting the protest. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/2202/2025, resulted in a significant setback for activists planning the demonstration. Confirming the court’s decision, Sowore, a former presidential candidate, expressed his dismay on social media, alleging that the order was granted in chambers after the judge had previously declined to approve the same request in open court. “After initially declining to grant an ex parte motion to stop our planned protest in open court, the judge reportedly granted it in chambers, imposing a ban on protests at Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, and the Unity Fountain in Abuja,” Sowore said in his post on . Meanwhile, the United States has issued a travel advisory, urging its citizens to avoid the protest locations in the FCT. The warning comes as tensions rise surrounding the planned demonstration. The protest, which gained significant momentum online, was originally organised to demand the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Protesters march against Lagos govt in Ikeja over demolitions. Protesters began converging as early as 7:30 a.m. at Ikeja Bridge before proceeding towards Alausa, the seat of the Lagos State Government.Hundreds of protesters are currently marching from Ikeja Bridge to Alausa, the seat of the Lagos State Government, to demonstrate against hunger and the ongoing demolitions in Oworonshoki, which they say have rendered many residents homeless. The demonstration, which began around 10:00 a.m. on Friday, was led by the Take It Back Movement and several other civil society groups. Protesters began converging as early as 7:30 a.m. at Ikeja Bridge before proceeding towards Alausa, carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘Stop the Demolitions’ and ‘End Hunger Now’. The groups accused the state government of worsening hardship through what they described as “anti-poor” policies, citing the demolitions in Oworonshoki and other parts of Lagos that have displaced families without alternative housing or adequate notice. Security operatives, including police officers and personnel of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, have been deployed around the Alausa axis to prevent a breakdown of law and order. As of the time of filing this report, the protesters had reached the Secretariat area, chanting solidarity songs and demanding to meet with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu or his representatives. Details later.

Kwara Emir allegedly Orders Arrest of Youth Leader Over Protest Against Insecurity. The Emir of Tsaragi in Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi Kpotwa Goshi II, has allegedly ordered the arrest of Musa Saidu Tsaragi, leader of the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), after youths staged a peaceful protest against kidnappings and banditry in the community. Saidu told SaharaReporters that the monarch became unsettled by Sunday’s demonstration in Edu Local Government Area, which he coordinated. “On Sunday I led a protest of kidnipping and banditry in the Taragi community, and it was peaceful and we’ll coordinate,” he said. According to him, he was invited to the Emir’s palace on Monday, where he was hara§§ed and accused of leading protesters to the palace. “So yesterday evening, the Emir of Taragi… called a meeting that the police of Taragi Division should get me arrested,” Saidu alleged. “I want to inform you that Estu Tsaragi said the police should arrest me because I led a protest yesterday.” The protest came hours after gunmen abducted a local businessman, Suleiman Ndana. Residents said Ndana placed a distress call before the attackers broke into his home, but security operatives never showed up. The kidnippers reportedly spared his pregnant wife after he surrendered himself. The youths, chanting solidarity songs, demanded that Fulani settlers leave Tsaragi land and called on the Emir to convey their grievances to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, accusing him of failing to protect communities in Kwara North.

The Take It Back Movement (TIB), Delta State chapter, has condemned the killing of a pregnant woman in Abraka by operatives of Operation Delta Sweep, who allegedly opened fire while chasing suspected internet fraudsters. The group described the act as reckless and called for an independent inquiry, retraining of operatives, and compensation for the victim’s family. TIB stressed that security must focus on protecting lives, not destroying them. #DeltaState #PoliceBrutality #JusticeForVictims

Police dissolve team accused of N6.1m extortion in Lagos. The Lagos state Police command Sunday took swift action following a damning press statement from the Take It Back Movement, which alleged a pattern of “kidnap-for-ransom” and extortion by officers in the Igando and Ikotun areas. Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, Sunday, met with the complainant and interrogated the entire police team involved. Hundeyin said the police team in question has been immediately dissolved and placed on an orderly room trial, a form of internal disciplinary action. The CP has also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), to launch a full investigation into the complaint. The Take It Back Movement’s statement, released Saturday, accused officers of criminal abduction and ransom-taking. It detailed two recent incidents: one on weekend where a victim was allegedly extorted of ₦1 million, and another where officers allegedly took ₦5.1 million from a young man in Ikotun. CSP Hundeyin assured the public that the outcome of the orderly room trial will be made public, signaling the command’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The CP has also summoned all the officers to the command headquarters in Ikeja as part of the ongoing investigation.

Court Orders Police to Pay N10 Million in Damages to Protesters. A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N10 million in damages for violating the fundamental rights of protesters. Justice Musa Kakaki, who delivered the ruling on Thursday, found the police guilty of infringing on the rights of demonstrators who gathered at the Lekki Tollgate on October 20, 2024, to mark the fourth anniversary of the movement. On that day, at least 20 protesters were arrested by officers of the Lagos State Police Command and held for several hours in a police van before being released without any formal charges. The lawsuit, filed as a fundamental rights enforcement action, was brought by 22 individuals in collaboration with three civil society groups — the Education Rights Campaign, Take It Back Movement & the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. The applicants accused the police of unlawful arrest & suppression of their constitutional rights to free expression & peaceful assembly. Among the listed protesters in the suit are Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, Ilesanmi Kehinde, Osopale Adeseye, Olamilekan Sanusi, Osugba Blessing, Kayode Agbaje, Michael Adedeji, Jennifer Rita Obiora, Orunsola Oluremi, Seyi Akinde, Akin Okunowon, Ugochukwu Prince, Aisha Omolara, Thomas Abiodun Olamide, Ogbu Obinna Ferdinald, Aghedo Kehinde Stephen, Duroonike Olawale, Isaac Obasi, Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi, and Afeez Suleiman. The respondents named in the suit include the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, the Governor of Lagos State, and the state’s Attorney-General.

NEWS BRIEF: Court Awards ₦10m Compensation to #EndSARS Protesters Over Rights Violation, A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to pay ₦10 million in damages to several #EndSARS protesters for violating their fundamental rights. Justice Musa Kakaki ruled that the protesters were unjustly harassed during the fourth memorial rally held on October 20, 2024, affirming that their constitutional rights were infringed. The applicants included activists Hassan Taiwo Soweto and others, supported by groups like the Education Rights Campaign, Take It Back Movement, and CDHR. The judge emphasized that law enforcement must act within democratic and legal boundaries.

No Hospitals At Home, They Steal From Us, Fly Abroad For Treatment Nigerians Protest In UK Hospital Where Buhari Died. They protested that the former leader was treated without paying from his personal funds allegedly using public resources to cover the costs, calling it a symbol of the hypocrisy and failure of leadership in Nigeria. Some Nigerians and members of the Take-It-Back Movement in London, staged a protest outside the London Clinic, the city’s largest private hospital, condemning late former President, Muhammadu Buhari’s use of public funds for overseas medical treatment while neglecting Nigeria’s collapsing healthcare system. The demonstrators gathered on Harley Street, at the entrance of the prestigious private hospital one of the most expensive in the UK where Buhari reportedly received medical treatment multiple times during his presidency and after. They protested that the former leader was treated without paying from his personal funds allegedly using public resources to cover the costs, calling it a symbol of the hypocrisy and failure of leadership in Nigeria. They explained that if there was real leadership in Nigeria, health facilities would function in every state. A protester stated that each state could have two or three world-class hospitals, but instead, the politicians loot public funds and spend them abroad. The group denounced the former president’s record, recalling how Buhari once blamed the deteriorating state of Nigerian hospitals as justification for his 1983 military coup. Decades later, they said, he failed to fix the same healthcare system, opting instead to rely on foreign hospitals for his own care. This forgotten recipe cleanses the veins at an impressive rate! Important information. Read now! Cardizoom Activists also questioned the secrecy surrounding Buhari’s health, both during his treatment and following his death, which they claimed occurred at the London Clinic.

Take-It-Back Movement Storms Adamawa Streets, Demands End to Hardship and Bad Governance #TakeItBackMovement #EndHardship #GoodGovernanceNow #AdamawaProtest #NigerianYouth

June 12 Protest: Take-It-Back Movement Writes Nigerian Police For Protection, Warns Against Harassment..

Take It Back Movement Declares June 12 National Day of Protest Against Tinubu’s “Tyranny” The Take It Back (TIB) Movement has officially declared June 12 a National Day of Protest against what it describes as increasing tyranny, hardship, and democratic backsliding under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The announcement was made via a press release covered by Sahara Reporters. The movement is calling on Nigerians across the country to mobilize, occupy the streets, and demand accountability, citing worsening economic conditions, suppression of dissent, insecurity, and alleged human rights abuses as key issues fueling the protest. “The same democracy we celebrate on June 12 is being dismantled before our eyes,” the group said. “We will not keep silent while the masses suffer and the state protects only the wealthy.” June 12, now officially recognized as Democracy Day in Nigeria, marks the annulled 1993 election widely considered the freest and fairest in the country’s history. For TIB, it’s a symbolic date to reclaim the promise of democracy—now seen as under threat. The protest is expected to take place in major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt. Security agencies have yet to respond, but tension is already building online as activists, civil society groups, and students rally support using the hashtag #June12Protest. ⸻According to Saharareporters #June12Protest #TakeItBack #EndTyranny #TinubuAdministration #DemocracyDay #SaharaReporters

NIGERIA BANS BURKINA RALLY It appears that the 2 years Burkina Faso has spent under revolutionary leadership has sent jitters down the spines of Nigeria's leadership. Pan-Africanism is apparently now banned in Nigeria. Or at least that's what Nigerian activist Kola Edokpayi discovered when he organised a Pan-African solidarity rally in support of Burkina Faso. The rally was to be held in the spirit of countless other rallies around the world that took place on the same day in defence of Burkina Faso and its leader Ibrahim Traore against attacks from the US. He immediately received a cease-and-desist order from the Edo State Commissioner of Police. And cease he did, but that was just the start. The Department of State Services and the police stormed his office, detained about six individuals, and later released four, keeping Edokpayi and another associate in custody. The act has been condemned by the Edo State chapter of the Take It Back Movement, calling it a violation of constitutional rights. President Bola Tinubu's government has maintained a position of hostility against the Alliance of Sahel States, which Burkina Faso is a member of. Following the popular revolutionary coup against Western favourite Mohamed Bazoum in Niger, Tinubu, who then chaired ECOWAS, pushed firmly for an ECOWAS invasion to reinstate Bazoum. Solidarity from Mali and Burkina Faso with Niger is credited with eventually giving ECOWAS cold feet. Since then, there have been no conciliatory moves from Abuja. Let us know what you think. Why did Nigeria ban rallies in support of Burkina Faso?