By DAYO ADESULU
Human rights lawyer, Barrister Tope Temokun, has strongly condemned what he described as a “lawless and shameful act” by the Nigeria Police Force after operatives re-arrested human rights activist Omoyele Sowore within the premises of a Kuje court on Friday, shortly after he was granted bail.
Temokun, who has been representing Sowore in his ongoing legal battles, said the action of the police was nothing short of “an assault on the law itself” and a dangerous precedent that undermines the authority of the judiciary.
Speaking from Abuja on Saturday, October 25, 2025, the lawyer said Sowore had been granted bail earlier that morning under liberal terms, which he fulfilled before police officers stormed the court to forcibly whisk him away.
“Police Ambushed the Court and Hijacked the Process” — Temokun
Narrating the sequence of events, Temokun said he had just returned from Kuje prison, where Sowore received medical treatment following injuries sustained during Thursday’s police attack at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“I returned from Kuje prison just now, and Omoyele Sowore was fine after being treated yesterday at the clinic there and given anti-tetanus pills for the wounds he sustained from the police attack within the precincts of the court,” Temokun said.
According to him, the police had laid siege to the Kuje Magistrate Court as early as 7 a.m. on Friday, and immediately after bail was granted at about 11 a.m., they launched another assault to re-arrest Sowore.
“The position is very clear and simple: Omoyele Sowore stood before the court, was given bail, met the bail conditions, and the magistrate who granted bail was yet to sign. Yet, the police stormed the court premises to abduct him again. The first abduction happened on Thursday in front of the Federal High Court. Now, it has happened again in Kuje. The question is: are Nigerians safe anywhere — even in court?” he queried.
“This Is Not Enforcement of Law but Assault on It”
Temokun said the police initially attempted to justify their action by claiming they were handing Sowore over to the Correctional Service, but that was “a deliberate falsehood.”
“What the police did yesterday was not enforcing the law but assaulting it,” the lawyer declared.
He explained that once a court grants bail and issues directives, the process is managed under the authority of the court, not the police. “From that moment, custodial power shifts fully to the court and the Correctional Service, not to the whims of the IPO or any police authority,” Temokun said.
He criticized the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, for what he called “an irresponsible attempt to justify an illegal act.”
“For the Police PRO to attempt to justify the lawless behaviour of their men is most irresponsible. To say it was not a re-arrest, but merely submitting him to the custodial authorities, is a sheer show of ignorance or mischief,” he said.
“Police Must Read the Constitution”
The human rights lawyer further advised the police to familiarize themselves with the nation’s legal framework, including Chapter IV of the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019.
“In any constitutional democracy, the police cannot take a citizen from the hands of the court. That is contempt. That is anarchy in uniform,” Temokun warned.
He emphasized that the matter transcends Sowore’s personal rights and speaks to the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
“The matter here is not just about Sowore. It’s about the potency of our law. It’s about whether the court’s process or its orders still have any meaning to the police in this country,” he said.
Despite the intimidation, Temokun vowed that both he and Sowore would not succumb to state pressure. “But we refuse to bow!” he concluded.
Background
Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has faced multiple arrests linked to his activism and criticism of government policies. His recent court appearances stem from charges widely viewed by civil rights groups as politically motivated.
Friday’s dramatic incident has reignited public outrage and calls for police reform, with activists demanding accountability for officers who desecrate court authority.
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