A Magistrate Court sitting in Kuje, Abuja, has granted bail to human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, along with several protesters detained during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in the Federal Capital Territory.
Also granted bail were Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu; his brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu; and eleven other demonstrators who were arrested during the protest.
The presiding magistrate, Abubakar Umar Sai’I’d, issued the ruling on Friday after the defendants were arraigned on charges of unlawful assembly and disturbing public peace. In his decision, the magistrate ordered that Sowore and the other defendants be granted bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each. The court also stipulated that every defendant must present a verified National Identification Number (NIN) as part of their bail requirements.
Additionally, the court instructed the defendants to submit their three-year tax clearance certificates and deposit their international passports before being released. These conditions, the magistrate stated, were necessary to ensure accountability and compliance with the judicial process.
Sowore was arrested on Thursday by officers of the Nigeria Police Force shortly after leaving the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he had attended a separate legal proceeding. The arrest, which was recorded and widely circulated on social media, sparked immediate outrage among civil society organisations and human rights advocates. Many described the action as yet another attempt to stifle activism and suppress dissent in Nigeria.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and well-known critic of government policies, has faced multiple arrests in recent years over his involvement in protests and his outspoken advocacy for democracy and human rights.
What You Should Know
Omoyele Sowore, a prominent journalist and activist, has been at the forefront of campaigns against corruption, human rights abuses, and political oppression in Nigeria.
His latest arrest during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest once again highlights ongoing tensions between the Nigerian government and pro-democracy activists.
The court’s decision to grant him and the other protesters bail underscores the judiciary’s role in upholding civil rights, even as the country grapples with increasing concerns over freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
