The Nigerian police on Thursday arrested human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore just outside the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A team of police officers arrested Mr Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja where detained leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu also appeared for his terrorism trial on Thursday.
In a live video streamed by Mr Sowore, the activist was seen questioning the officers about the reason for his arrest.
“Do you want to bundle me? No invitation letter,” he asked, before voluntarily entering the police vehicle as his lawyers followed behind.
The arrest follows close on the heels of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest led by Mr Sowore in Abuja on Monday, calling for Mr Kanu’s unconditional release from custody.
Mr Kanu, who appeared in court on Thursday to open his defence in his terrorism trial, has been detained by the State Security Service (SSS) since he was brought back from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021.
During Monday’s protest, the police arrested 12 protesters, including Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, and the IPOB leader’s brother, Emmanuel Kanu.
Mr Sowore was seen in a video clip running away from the protest scene around Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the Maitama District of Abuja after police began firing gunshots and teargas.
His arrest on Thursday is the latest in the series of running battles he has had with the police and the SSS just this year. Multiple criminal cases have been filed against him for different reasons by both agencies since the beginning of the year.
Mr Sowore, who usually attends hearings in Mr Kanu’s trial, was also at the Federal High Court in Abuja for a hearing of one of the criminal cases filed against him by the police before a judge, Emeka Nwite.
Preparatory to instituting the charges, the police arrested him and detained him for two days in August.
The prosecution accused him of forging a police wireless message and cyberbullying the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and his personal staff officer, Yemisi Kuti, over a police promotion scandal.
However, he was standing outside the court premises with close associates when the police moved to arrest him.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Mr Sowore had described the case as “bogus and farcical,” alleging that it was politically motivated and linked to his criticism of the police leadership.
“The case of the illegally appointed IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, listed as FRN v. Omoyele Sowore & Sahara Reporters, is coming before Justice Emeka Nwite… They falsely allege that I forged a police wireless message and cyber-bullied the IGP’s ‘girlfriend’ and PSO, ACP Yemisi Kuti,” he wrote.
He also referenced a recent social media controversy involving Pastor Jerry Eze and the IGP’s aides, suggesting that the pastor deleted photos from a visit to the police headquarters after public backlash
