Fresh controversy has erupted following reports that Nigerian police officers allegedly assaulted and re-arrested activist Omoyele Sowore outside the Kuje Magistrate Court on Friday, moments after he was granted bail.
According to Politics Nigeria, eyewitnesses at the court revealed that the incident occurred shortly after Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id approved bail for Sowore and 13 others arrested during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
Police Allegedly Drag Sowore into Van
Witnesses claimed that as Sowore’s legal team worked to finalize his bail conditions, a group of police officers — led by CSP Ilyasu Barau, Officer in Charge of Anti-Vice under the DC-CID, FCT Command — confronted him outside the courtroom.
The officers allegedly punched, dragged, and forced the activist into a waiting police van without showing any official documentation.
“The IPO punched him, dragged him on the ground, and forced him into the van. They really manhandled him,” one eyewitness recounted.
Another source claimed that when journalists and lawyers requested to see the remand order the police referenced, the officers refused to present any document, instead insisting they had a “secret remand order.”
Reports indicate that Sowore was taken to Kuje Prison despite the court’s bail approval.
Court Had Granted Bail to Sowore and Others
Earlier, Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id granted bail to Sowore and 13 co-defendants, including Aloy Ejimakor, lawyer to detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and Prince Emmanuel Kanu, Nnamdi Kanu’s brother.
The defendants were arraigned on charges of unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace stemming from their participation in the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
Public Outrage and Condemnation
The alleged assault and re-arrest have drawn criticism online, with rights activists calling for accountability and demanding Sowore’s immediate release.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has yet to issue an official statement addressing the incident.
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