Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore rearrested after bail at Kuje Court. Police defy court order and drag him away, sparking outrage in Abuja.
There was outrage in Abuja on Friday as Sowore rearrested outside the Kuje Magistrate Court moments after being granted bail.
The shocking incident sparked condemnation after police officers forcefully dragged the activist into a waiting vehicle, allegedly ignoring the court’s bail order.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said the commotion erupted just minutes after the magistrate, Abubakar Umar Sai’id, approved bail for Omoyele Sowore and 13 others who were arrested during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in the Federal Capital Territory.
As his legal team worked to perfect the bail conditions, armed police officers reportedly pounced on him, beat him, and bundled him into a police van.
The operation, led by CSP Ilyasu Barau, the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Vice Unit under the FCT Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (DC-CID), drew widespread criticism for violating the rule of law.
According to witnesses, the police claimed they were acting under a “secret remand order,” which they refused to present when requested by Sowore’s lawyers.
One eyewitness recounted, “The officers punched him and dragged him on the ground before forcing him into the van. They refused to show any court order or warrant.” Another added that attempts by Sowore’s legal team to intervene were met with hostility, and some lawyers were allegedly assaulted in the process.
IREPORT247NEWS had earlier reported that Magistrate Court granted Sowore bail along with several other demonstrators arrested during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in the Federal Capital Territory.
Those released include Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, his brother Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and eleven other individuals arrested during the demonstration.
The court ordered that each defendant be released on ₦500,000 bail with a verified National Identification Number (NIN), three-year tax clearance certificate, and international passport. Read here
However, the police action appeared to disregard these judicial conditions. Supporters and observers expressed shock that the activist could be rearrested despite bail, describing the move as a blatant affront to judicial authority and a troubling sign of authoritarian overreach.
Legal analysts and rights groups quickly condemned the Sowore rearrested episode, calling it “an assault on democracy.” Lawyers representing the activist have vowed to file contempt charges against the officers involved, accusing them of acting outside the bounds of the law.
“This is a violation of due process,” one of his lawyers said.
“When a court grants bail, no officer has the right to override that order.”
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has long been a vocal critic of government policies and a champion of civil rights.
His repeated clashes with security agencies have made him one of the most targeted activists in Nigeria. Many civil society organizations see his rearrest despite bail as an attempt to silence dissent and intimidate political critics.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International and other human rights bodies have called for his immediate release and demanded an investigation into the conduct of the police. The group emphasized that such acts of impunity threaten the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system and undermine constitutional freedoms.
The Sowore rearrested controversy has continued to dominate public discussions, with Nigerians on social media expressing anger over what they describe as “a war on free speech and justice.” Political observers warn that unless decisive action is taken, incidents like this could erode confidence in the country’s democratic institutions.
As of the time of this report, Sowore was believed to have been taken to the Kuje Correctional Centre, even though no official remand order has been publicly confirmed. His lawyers insist they will pursue all legal avenues to challenge what they term “a deliberate act of persecution.”
The episode once again raises critical questions about police accountability, judicial independence, and the protection of human rights in Nigeria. It points out the growing tension between state power and civil liberties — a divide that activists like Sowore continue to expose at great personal risk.
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