The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted prominent human rights activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore ₦200 million bail, marking a turning point in his ongoing trial on allegations of cybercrime and criminal defamation.
Justice Mohammed Umar, presiding over the case, restored Sowore’s bail with stringent fresh conditions. The activist must deposit his international passport with the court registrar and provide two sureties in the same sum. Reports indicate one surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the other should own landed property in Abuja.
The ruling comes after Sowore’s previous bail was revoked on June 16 for failing to appear in court. He had spent recent weeks in custody at Kuje Correctional Centre. Today’s decision follows arguments on an application filed by Sowore’s legal team seeking to set aside the revocation and bench warrant issued against him.
Sowore, founder of the investigative news outlet Sahara Reporters and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in previous elections, has long been a vocal critic of successive Nigerian administrations.
The charges stem from claims made against high-profile figures, including references to President Bola Tinubu, which the Department of State Services (DSS) alleges are defamatory.Tensions ran high outside the courtroom as Sowore’s supporters clashed with security operatives amid heavy deployment, reflecting the activist’s enduring grassroots support and the polarized nature of his legal battles.
