Omoyele Sowore Remanded to Kuje Prison Amid Cybercrime Charges and International Criticism

A Federal High Court in Abuja ordered activist and former African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after revoking his bail. The Department of State Services is prosecuting him on two cybercrime counts – cyberstalking and criminal defamation – for social‑media posts that labelled President Bola Tinubu a “criminal”. Justice Mohammed Garba Umar dismissed Sowore’s request that the judge recuse himself, rejected his bail‑revocation challenge, and adjourned the hearing of his stay‑of‑execution application to 24 June.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from civil‑society groups and political figures. Amnesty International, the #EndBadGovernance movement, former APC spokesman Timi Frank, the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and former presidential candidate Peter Obi all called the remand a dangerous regression for Nigeria’s democracy and urged Sowore’s immediate release. Supporters claim DSS operatives forcefully seized Sowore in court, injuring him, and allege the case reflects a broader pattern of intimidation against journalists and activists.

The case underscores tensions over the use of Nigeria’s cybercrime law to curb political dissent and raises concerns about judicial independence, freedom of expression, and the overall health of the country’s democratic institutions.