Sowore charged with 16 offences over statements about IGP Egbetokun

…as court decides bail request 30th

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday arraigned Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and activist over social media comments he made about Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Sowore was arraigned by the Police on a 16-count charge related to Cybercrime under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Police accused Sowore of deliberately sending messages via his verified X account (formerly Twitter), in which he referred to the IGP as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.” The Police deemed the publication false and claimed it was intended to incite a breakdown of law and order.

Count three pertains to a statement Sowore allegedly made on December 20, 2024, in which he said: “The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. It’s just a matter of time, #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.”

He was also accused of publishing a statement referring to the IGP as the “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun,” knowing it to be false, and tagging the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG.

The publication allegedly contained threats intended to incite Nigerian citizens against the Nigeria Police Force and damage the reputation of both the IGP and the force, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

In Count five, he was accused of publishing on his verified X handle that, “…the current IGP came on board as he surrendered @Policeng to special interests to persecute his adversaries in exchange for an illegal tenure extension that has ruined policing in Nigeria today,” knowing the statement to be false.

The Police claimed the statement was intended to incite a breakdown of law and order, thus committing an offense under section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and punishable under section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.

Read also:Lagos protesters slam Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast, demand immediate sack of IGP Egbetokun

Count 16 alleges that on January 9, 2025, Omoyele Sowore intentionally and knowingly sent a video clip with a message through his verified Facebook page, “Omoyele Sowore,” which included a publication against the Nigeria Police Force reading: “Operation Resist Nigeria Police Force extortion Nigerian highways #RevolutionNow.”

The Police claimed that Sowore knew the publication would incite a breakdown of law and order and turn the public against the Nigeria Police Force. By causing the message to be sent, he allegedly committed an offense under section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, punishable under section 24(2)(c)(i) of the same Act.

Sowore pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him by the police and his legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar moved an application for his bail on self recognition or on the most liberal terms pending trial.

According to Abubakar, bail is at the discretion of the court and prayed the court to exercise it in favour of Sowore, adding that, the complainant has not shown any reason for denying the applicant bail.

He said, the Police has stated that it granted the applicant bail and conceded in its affidavit that Sowore is entitled to bail, pointing out that Sowore has undertaken to stand his trial and will not interfare with the witnesses of the prosecution.

Opposing the request for bail, the prosecution counsel, Uddy Jonathan, in a 25-paragraph counter affidavit, prayed the court to dismiss the bail application, adding that bail cannot be granted in a vacuum.

He said the applicant has not placed anything before the court to show that, he will be available for his trial and urged the court to refuse the application or grant the applicant bail on conditions that will make him appear in court for his trial.
After hearing the submissions of counsel, the judge adjourned the case until 1 PM today to rule on Sowore’s bail application.

In the meantime, Sowore has been remanded in police custody pending the ruling on his bail request.