Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered activist and online publisher Omoyele Sowore back to the Kuje Correctional Centre, rejecting a defence request to release him ahead of a June 30 hearing on his bail and bench warrant. Justice Mohammed Umar issued the order on Wednesday after Sowore's counsel, R.O. Adakonye, standing in for lead counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, informed the court that proceedings had been adjourned to consider an application to set aside a bench warrant and bail revocation issued against his client. The ruling means Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a former presidential candidate, will remain in custody for at least another week as the court deliberates on whether to restore the bail that was revoked earlier this month.
Justice Umar had on Monday revoked the December 2025 bail granted to Sowore "based on self-recognition" and ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre following his absence from court on June 16, 2026. The bail revocation came after the judge had directed Sowore to open his defence in the cybercrime case brought against him by the Department of State Services. The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over posts he made on his X and Facebook accounts in August 2025, in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a "criminal". The agency turned to criminal prosecution after several unsuccessful attempts to compel Sowore to take down the posts.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the defence team formally moved a motion on notice dated June 17 and filed on June 19, 2026, seeking 12 reliefs including an order setting aside the court's June 16 order revoking the defendant's bail, an order vacating the bench warrant issued against him, and an order restoring the status quo and the earlier bail conditions. The defence relied on a 34-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Emmanuel Larry and a further 36-paragraph affidavit filed on June 24, alongside a reply on points of law dated June 23. Adakonye urged the court to "grant the application as prayed in the interest of justice" and to discountenance the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution.
Responding, prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, said the Federal Government had filed a 25-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by one Moses Madara, and a written address in opposition to the application. Kehinde argued that Sowore had not placed truthful facts before the court that were capable of swaying the mind of the court to exercise its discretion in his favour. He urged the court to refuse the application.
After hearing the parties, Justice Umar adjourned the matter to June 30, 2026, for ruling. The judge had on Monday also dismissed an application filed by Sowore seeking the judge's recusal from the case on the grounds of alleged bias, describing the request as unmeritorious. Following the adjournment, the defence orally applied for Sowore to be released to his legal team pending the ruling, undertaking to produce him in court on the next adjourned date. The prosecution objected, arguing that such a request could not be made orally. The judge questioned whether releasing Sowore would amount to determining the substantive application before the court. "If I release him, won't that mean I have ruled on the application?" the judge asked. He declined the request and ordered that the existing arrangement remain pending the ruling.
The outcome of the ruling on June 30 will determine whether Sowore remains in custody or is released ahead of the continuation of his trial. Sowore, who is also the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was initially granted bail on self-recognition in December 2025 and the DSS did not oppose the application. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/481/2025, was filed to seek what the DSS described as "a judicial interpretation of his right or otherwise to disparage and cyberbully the President". On May 13, the court dismissed Sowore's no-case submission and ordered him to open his defence. The activist subsequently filed an application asking Justice Umar to withdraw from the case, alleging bias, but that application was dismissed on Monday.
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