The Nigeria Police Force has denied reports claiming it approached the court to halt the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Sunday, said at no point did the police seek a court injunction to stop the demonstration, stressing that Nigerians have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

Earlier, it was reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed an alleged police bid to restrain protesters from going ahead with the rally scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025.

Reacting to the ruling, protest convener Omoyele Sowore hailed the court’s decision as a victory for civil liberties, alleging that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had sent police lawyers to file the suit aimed at stopping the protest.

But Hundeyin, in a post via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, dismissed Sowore’s claim, insisting that the police neither approached the court nor attempted to block the protest.

He wrote:

“It is an inalienable right of Nigerians to protest, and we did not approach the court to stop these gatherings. Furthermore, the case was not adjourned to Tuesday as mentioned in some reports; it reflects a one-sided narration and lacks the depth of investigative journalism.”

The police spokesperson’s clarification comes amid heightened public interest and rising tension ahead of the planned protest in Abuja.