The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the continued detention of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at Kuje prison. Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that Sowore will remain in custody until June 30, at which time the court will decide on his motion to challenge the revocation of his bail. Sowore is currently facing trial for alleged cybercrimes, stemming from social media comments labeling President Bola Tinubu a criminal.
Led by R. O. Adakole, the legal team representing the activist argued that the bench warrant and bail revocation were unjust. They requested that the court restore his bail status. Conversely, prosecution counsel Akinlolu Kehinde insisted that the application lacked sufficient justification for the court to grant leniency. The judge previously revoked the bail after Sowore failed to appear for trial, a decision the defendant contested by unsuccessfully asking the judge to recuse himself due to perceived bias.
Outside the courtroom, demonstrators gathered at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja to call for Sowore’s immediate release. Security forces had earlier blocked these protesters from entering the court premises. The charges against Sowore, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) under the Cybercrimes Act, allege that his posts were designed to undermine the president’s reputation and incite civil unrest. The trial follows Sowore’s criticism of the president’s claims regarding the state of corruption in Nigeria.
