A Federal High Court in Abuja has turned down the Nigeria Police Force's emergency request to halt a planned demonstration calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, allowing the October 20 rally to proceed as scheduled while ordering a full hearing next week.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling Thursday, declined the ex parte motion filed by police lawyers seeking to restrain activist Omoyele Sowore from leading the "#FreeNnamdiKanuNow" march to the Aso Rock Villa, citing the need for both sides to present arguments. The judge adjourned the matter to Tuesday, ensuring the protest—set to mobilize against Kanu's prolonged detention—faces no immediate legal barrier.

The police, through Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun's legal team, argued the event posed security risks near the presidential seat, potentially disrupting public order.

Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a vocal Kanu supporter, welcomed the outcome as a win for free expression. In a statement on X, he affirmed: "The judge refused to grant the ex parte motion... instructing them to serve me notice and adjourning the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing." He vowed a peaceful, legal mobilization, framing it as a "historic march" to spotlight Kanu's case.

Kanu, arrested in June 2021 after rendition from Kenya, faces treasonable felony charges for mobilizing separatist sentiments in the southeast. He has pleaded not guilty, decrying his arrest as unlawful, and his team alleges violations of court orders for release on health grounds. The trial resumes next week, with a medical panel recently deeming him fit to proceed.

Sowore's call to action earlier this month sparked community drives across Abuja neighborhoods, drawing ire from authorities wary of escalations amid past mobilizations. The police cited potential clashes, but rights groups like Amnesty International backed the court's stance, urging protection for assembly rights.