Chaos broke out on Friday outside the Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja as police officers reportedly punched and forcefully dragged human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, into a waiting vehicle despite the court granting him bail.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred moments after the magistrate approved bail for Sowore and 13 others who were arraigned over the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
According to SaharaReporters, the activist was attacked while his legal team was still working to perfect his bail conditions. The officers, led by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case, CSP Ilyasu Barau, who heads the Anti-Vice Unit under the FCT Command’s Criminal Investigation Department, allegedly pounced on Sowore, beat him up, and dragged him on the ground before shoving him into a police van.
“The IPO punched him and pushed him violently into the van. They manhandled him badly,”—Sarahareporters wrote.
When Sowore’s lawyers and supporters demanded to see the remand order the officers claimed to have, the police reportedly refused to present any document. “They said there was a secret remand order, but no one saw it,” another source said.
It was also gathered that some lawyers were attacked in the process as they tried to intervene.
Despite the court’s ruling granting bail, the police allegedly transferred Sowore to Kuje Correctional Centre, claiming they were acting on instructions tied to the undisclosed remand order.
Earlier in the day, the court, presided over by Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’Id, had granted Sowore and the 13 other defendants bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with conditions that they provide a verified National Identification Number (NIN), three-year tax clearance certificates, and submit their passports.
Those granted bail alongside Sowore include Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and Prince Emmanuel Kanu, Nnamdi Kanu’s brother.
Sowore’s arrest on Thursday outside the Federal High Court in Abuja had already sparked outrage across social media, with civil rights groups and activists accusing the police of harassment and contempt for judicial authority.
The journalist and activist, who has been repeatedly arrested over the years, remains one of the most vocal critics of the Nigerian government. His supporters have condemned the fresh incident as an attempt to silence dissent and undermine the rule of law.
As of the time of filing this report, police authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the circumstances of Sowore’s transfer to Kuje Prison.
(With additional information from Sahara Reporters)
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