Nigeria Court Revokes Bail of Journalist Omoyele Sowore

The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, revoked the bail of journalist and activist Omoyele Sowore on 16 June 2026 and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear at a scheduled hearing. Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a presidential candidate for the Africa Action Congress, is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services for alleged false statements labeling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in social‑media posts.

The Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN) condemned the court’s decision, describing it as an escalation of attacks on democratic rights and urging nationwide peaceful protests. WYSN called for the reversal of the bail revocation, the withdrawal of politically motivated charges, and the protection of constitutional freedoms for activists, journalists, and opposition figures in Nigeria.