Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate and activist, who has been detained in police custody since January 27, may be arraigned before Justice Abdullah Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mr. Marshall Abubakar, Sowore’s lawyer, gave an indication to this effect on Tuesday.
According to him, the police have come up with charges to arraign Sowore before Justice Liman tomorrow.
Persecondnews reported that Sowore was arrested and detained on Monday at the Intelligence Response Team detention facility in Abuja after he rejected the administrative bail conditions granted him by the police.
He was invited to the Force Intelligence Headquarters in Abuja for allegedly resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking and actions allegedly aimed at preventing arrests.
A charge marked no. FHC/ABJ/CR/23/2025, dated January 28, 2025, the Inspector General of Police is listed as the complainant, while Sowore is the sole defendant.
Count One reads: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun’.
“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.
Count Two: That you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally and knowingly caused the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, calling him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
“This statement, which you knew to be false, tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG. The publication contained threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force. By so doing, you committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024).”
Count Three: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 20, 2024, intentionally and knowingly sent messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, stating: ‘The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.
“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence.”
The offences contravened the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (as amended), police said.
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