Okay News reports that human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has regained his freedom from Kuje Prison, Abuja, after spending four days in detention. His release came after he met all bail conditions set by a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory.
Confirming his release on Monday through a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sowore wrote:
“HAPPENING NOW: Leaving Kuje Prison in Abuja after being detained there illegally for four days by @officialABAT illegal IGP, Kayode Egbetokun. #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.”
Sowore, alongside Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu; Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu; and eleven other protesters, had been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force during a #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in Abuja last week.
The group was arraigned last Friday before Magistrate Abubakar Sai’id at a Magistrate Court in Kuje, on charges bordering on unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace.
In his ruling, Magistrate Sai’id granted each of the 14 defendants bail in the sum of ₦500,000, with strict conditions that included the submission of a verified National Identification Number (NIN), presentation of a three-year tax clearance certificate, and the deposit of their international passports.
After meeting these requirements, Sowore and the other defendants were released from custody on Monday.
Sowore’s arrest occurred shortly after he attended a court proceeding at the Federal High Court in Abuja concerning the ongoing trial of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. His detention had drawn criticism from human rights advocates, who described it as a breach of civil liberties and a violation of his constitutional rights to peaceful assembly.
Observers believe the incident once again underscores the tension between law enforcement agencies and civic activists in Nigeria’s democratic space.
