Sowore Rejects Police Bail Conditions, Opts To Remain In Custody.
Omoyele Sowore, activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has declined bail conditions set by the Nigerian police, choosing instead to remain in custody.
Sowore was summoned to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday for questioning following a viral video he posted, alleging police extortion at a checkpoint in Lagos. Upon his arrival, accompanied by his legal team and supporters, the roads leading to the Louis Edet House and Federal Secretariat were heavily barricaded.
The police outlined several allegations against him, including resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking, and actions allegedly intended to prevent arrests.
After hours of interrogation, the Deputy Inspector General of Police at the Force Intelligence Department, Dasuki Galandachi, granted Sowore administrative bail. However, the conditions required him to surrender his passport and provide a Grade Level 17 officer, equivalent to a permanent secretary, as a guarantor.
Sowore took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to denounce the conditions, describing them as unreasonable. He stated, “If such unreasonable conditions are imposed, I will choose to remain in detention until I am charged to court. Even then, I know that there is no crime defined or to be investigated—it is just impunity that has become the hallmark of the police hierarchy.”
In a subsequent post, Sowore confirmed his decision to reject the conditions. “The Nigeria Police Force has requested that I deposit my International Passport and provide a level 17 civil servant as a guarantor for bail, but I have declined these conditions and opted to remain in police custody #RevolutionNow,” he wrote.
The activist’s supporters, under the Take It Back Movement, mobilised a protest outside the Force Headquarters, demanding an end to police extortion. A flier shared online featured images of Sowore alongside the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, with the words, “Occupy Force Headquarters.”
As investigations continue, Sowore remains steadfast in his stance, drawing attention to police practices and advocating for accountability.
