Despite having been granted bail by the court, activist Omoyele Sowore was allegedly re-arrested and assaulted by the Nigerian Police outside the Kuje Magistrate Court.
The incident unfolded moments after the magistrate approved bail for Sowore and 13 others.
While his legal team was finalizing the bail conditions, police officers, led by CSP Ilyasu Barau (Officer in Charge of Anti-Vice), allegedly launched an attack.
According to eyewitnesses, officers punched Sowore, forcibly dragged him into a waiting police van, and offered no explanation for taking him into custody again.
The witnesses noted that the activist resisted the attempt to detain him.
“The IPO punched him, dragged him on the ground, and forced him into the van. They really manhandled him,” an eyewitness said.
“When we asked to see the remand order they claimed to have obtained, the officer refused to show any document.
“The police took Sowore away to Kuje Prison despite his bail, citing a secret remand order,” another source added.
Persecondnews reported that Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id had granted bail to Sowore and 13 others who were arrested during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
Also granted bail are Aloy Ejimakor, lawyer to the detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, his brother, Emmanuel Kanu and 11 others.
The defendants were arraigned on charges bordering on unlawful assembly and breach of public peace.
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