Former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, has reportedly been whisked away by armed policemen shortly after attending a court session at the Federal High Court in Abuja in support of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore, who has been a vocal advocate for Kanu’s release, was accosted on Thursday by security operatives who insisted that he must follow them to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
When questioned on the reason for his arrest, one of the officers told him they were acting on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, saying,
“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office.”
Despite querying the absence of a formal invitation, Sowore maintained that his lawyer must accompany him before eventually being taken away in a police van.
The publisher of Sahara Reporters and human rights activist was among the organisers of the recent #FreeNnamdiKanu protest that took place in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria earlier in the week.
During the protest, 12 individuals, including Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, and one of his lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor, were arrested and subsequently remanded in Kuje Prison.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police before a Chief Magistrate Court in Kuje, the protesters allegedly defied a court order by chanting war songs and disrupting public peace and the free flow of traffic.
The police accused them of criminal conspiracy, incitement, and public disturbance, offences punishable under Sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.
The charge reads in part:
“That on the 20th day of October, 2025, you… engaged in inciting disturbance, breach of public peace in disobedience to a court order, denying citizens freedom of movement and disrupting free flow of traffic while chanting war songs and demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu who is undergoing lawful trial at the Federal High Court.”
The court has scheduled Friday to take the plea of the 12 defendants. However, it remains unclear whether Sowore’s name will be added to the charge sheet.
