Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has been arrested by the Nigerian Police at the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to eyewitnesses, Sowore was apprehended shortly after leaving the court on Thursday, where he had appeared for proceedings related to what he described as a “bogus and farcical” charge of alleged forgery of a police wireless message.
Sources revealed that the arrest was ordered by the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was gathered that after being informed that the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, would not be sitting, a police officer approached Sowore and informed him of his arrest on the Commissioner’s orders.
Members of his legal team, led by human rights lawyer Tope Temokun, immediately confronted the officers, demanding an explanation. However, the police insisted they were acting on “direct instruction” and subsequently escorted Sowore into a waiting vehicle.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, has been an outspoken critic of government corruption and abuse of power. He has faced several arrests and court cases since 2019 for his activism and advocacy for good governance and democracy in Nigeria.
