Human rights advocate and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore was rearrested by police outside the Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja on Friday, mere moments after being granted bail in connection with the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
Sowore, a prominent critic of the Nigerian government and former presidential candidate, appeared before Magistrate Abubakar Sai’id alongside 12 others, including Prince Emmanuel Kanu brother of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu and Kanu’s legal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor. The group faced charges of unlawful assembly and disturbing public peace stemming from Monday’s demonstration demanding Kanu’s unconditional release.
The court approved bail for each defendant at ₦500,000 ($300), with conditions requiring two sureties residing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), valid identification, verified National Identification Numbers (NIN), three years of tax clearance certificates, and the surrender of passports.
Despite fulfilling these conditions, Sowore was allegedly seized by officers from the FCT Police Command’s Anti-Vice Unit, led by Investigating Police Officer Ilyasu Barau, as his lawyers finalized paperwork. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene: “They dragged him on the ground and pushed him into a van,” one observer told Sahara Reporters. Protesters and attorneys demanded to see a remand order, but police refused, citing a “secret remand order” not disclosed in open court.
Lawyers, including Tope Temokun and Deji Adeyanju, were reportedly shoved aside while trying to intervene. “There was no remand order issued when bail was granted,” another witness stated, accusing the police of defying the court’s ruling.
Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin defended the rearrest, stating it addressed Sowore’s alleged role in leading protesters into a restricted area near the Transcorp Hilton during Monday’s rally. “If we charge some people to court and leave the person who led them… that would not be fair,” Hundeyin told journalists, emphasizing the equal application of justice.
He assured that Sowore would not be held beyond 24 hours and promised arraignment “without delay,” potentially as early as Friday. However, Sowore is now slated for a Monday, October 27 court appearance on a new charge related to a recent statement labeling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal.” This adds to Sowore’s history of legal battles, including 2019 treason charges for #RevolutionNow protests and ongoing cases alleging forgery and cyberstalking against Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun.
Hundeyin noted Sowore’s initial Thursday arrest outside the Federal High Court, where he was covering unrelated proceedings. Videos from Monday’s protest showed Sowore fleeing amid teargas deployment, which dispersed the crowd and led to the arrests of 12 individuals, including Ejimakor and Emmanuel Kanu.
This incident underscores escalating tensions between Nigerian authorities and activists. Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s leader, has been detained by the State Security Service (SSS) since his 2021 re-arrest after jumping bail in 2017. Monday’s protest highlighted ongoing demands for his release amid allegations of human rights abuses.
Sowore, a two-time #RevolutionNow organizer, has faced repeated detentions by the DSS and police since 2019. He recently dismissed related charges as “bogus and farcical,” including claims of forging a police message and cyberbullying a senior officer. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights have condemned Nigeria’s use of the Cybercrimes Act to target journalists and protesters, calling it an assault on constitutionally guaranteed free expression.
The Take It Back Movement (TIB), aligned with Sowore, decried the rearrest as “an attempt to silence dissenting voices” and vowed nationwide protests if he is not immediately freed. Legal experts warn of a pattern of criminalizing dissent, urging judicial oversight.
As Sowore is returned to Kuje Correctional Centre, supporters rally under #FreeSowore and #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, amplifying calls for accountability in Nigeria’s democracy. The next hearing on October 27 could intensify scrutiny on police conduct and the rights of protesters.
