Court orders Sowore’s return to Kuje prison over alleged cybercrime

…as protesters storm Justice Ministry to demand his release

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja returned activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore to Kuje prison.

Trial Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that Sowore must remain in custody until June 30, when the court will decide on his application to challenge the revocation of his bail.

Sowore, charged with two counts of cybercrime by the Department of State Services (DSS) for calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in a social media post, asked the court to annul the June 16 order that revoked his bail and ordered his arrest.

Represented by a legal team led by Mr. R. O. Adakole of Adeyinka Olumide‑Fusika, SAN, the defendant sought the restoration of his bail and the dismissal of the bench warrant for his arrest.

His application, based on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and sections 169 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, argued that the orders against him were unjust and unwarranted.

Prosecution counsel Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, urged the court to reject the application and proceed with the trial, stating that Sowore had failed to provide sufficient and truthful reasons for the court to exercise discretion in his favor.

After hearing both sides, Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned for a ruling.

Last Monday, Justice Umar had ordered Sowore’s remand in Kuje prison following the revocation of his bail for failing to appear for the continuation of his trial.

The judge also dismissed a motion seeking his recusal from the trial on grounds of alleged bias.

The court held that Sowore had not presented any verifiable evidence to support his request for the judge to step down.

On the day he missed his trial, Sowore sent a letter to the court requesting a reschedule. In the letter, addressed to the Deputy Chief Registrar, he noted that he had appeared in court the previous day— the original trial date— but the judge was absent without explanation.

Sowore, who had no legal representation at that time, proposed eight alternative dates for the court’s consideration.

However, following an oral application by the prosecution, the court revoked his bail and ordered his arrest.

In a separate application, hinged on Section 36(1)(5)(6) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Sowore accused Justice Umar of bias, citing an incident in which his lawyer was ordered to kneel before the court. He claimed that the judge’s high‑handedness and the court’s day‑to‑day hearing schedule had intimidated his legal team.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, scores of placard‑bearing protesters surrounded the Federal Ministry of Justice headquarters in Abuja, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, demanding Sowore’s release.

The protesters were earlier barred from entering the court premises by armed security personnel.

Sowore, arraigned under charge FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 on December 2 2025, pleaded not guilty.

The charges allege offences under Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.

The posts, dated August 25 2025, were made in response to President Tinubu’s claim, made in Brazil, that his administration had ended corruption in Nigeria.

Angered by the posts, the DSS demanded that X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. ban Sowore’s accounts and remove the posts. The security agency also wrote to Sowore, asking him to delete the posts from all platforms. Non‑compliance led to the charges.

The prosecution contends that the defamatory posts were intended to cause a breakdown of law and order and to tarnish the president’s reputation.

Exhibits include printouts of the posts and the DSS letters.

X Inc. and Meta were initially co‑defendants but were removed from the amended charge.