By Dayo Adesulu | The Cheer News | October 24, 2025
A dramatic and disturbing scene unfolded on Thursday at the Kuje Magistrate Court, Abuja, when a team of police officers allegedly abducted human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, shortly after he was granted bail.
The incident, described as “a show of shame” by Sowore’s lawyer, Barrister Tope Temokun, reportedly occurred within the court premises moments after the presiding magistrate approved Sowore’s bail on what Temokun termed liberal terms.
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Police Invade Court Premises After Bail
According to a statement issued by Temokun from the Kuje court, a police team led by CSP Iliyasu, the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Vice Unit, State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), allegedly stormed the premises and violently seized Sowore in the presence of court officials, journalists, and members of the public.
Temokun said the officers acted in “raw impunity and total disdain for the rule of law,” adding that he and others were physically assaulted while trying to resist the forceful arrest.
“I sustained injuries and my bib was blood-stained in the chaos that ensued,” Temokun stated. “The officers, in a most unruly and undisciplined manner, rough-handled Sowore and whisked him away.”
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‘Sowore Taken to Unknown Destination’
Contrary to standard legal procedures following a bail ruling, Temokun alleged that Sowore was not taken to prison custody but “spirited away to an unknown destination.”
He described the action as “a direct affront to the authority of the court” and “a mockery of the rule of law.”
> “What we saw after the bail was not law or anything close to legality,” he said. “It was police and executive brigandage.”
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Courage of the Magistrate and Judicial Integrity
Temokun commended the magistrate who, according to him, “displayed rare courage” by granting Sowore bail despite pressure from the police to frustrate the process.
He said the abduction was an indication of “deep-seated disdain for judicial authority,” and warned that such acts represent a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic values.
> “Today marks a dark and painful moment for justice and democracy in Nigeria. Yet, it is also a moment of reckoning — a call to conscience,” Temokun declared.
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Call for Accountability
The lawyer called on the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and all “well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of justice” to condemn what he termed “a reckless desecration of the judiciary.”
He urged immediate compliance with the court’s bail order and demanded the release of Sowore in accordance with the law.
“We demand deference to the order of court granting bail,” Temokun insisted. “This is not about politics — it is about justice, law, and the dignity of our institutions.”
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Background
Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and publisher, has faced multiple arrests and legal battles since 2019, following his #RevolutionNow campaign calling for political reforms in Nigeria. His repeated arrests have sparked outrage among human rights groups and civil society organizations, who accuse authorities of targeting him for his outspoken criticism of government policies.
As of the time of filing this report, police authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the alleged abduction.
PHOTO Caption: This is CSP Iliyasu Barau, OC Anti-Vice, the Police officer who led the brutal attack on Sowore and others on Court Premises after the Judge Granted Him Bail
Sowore’s Lawyer Stained By Blood After Attack By Police, Activist Taken To Unknown Location By CSP Iliyasu Barau
-Sahara Reporters
#Sowore #PoliceBrutality #RuleOfLaw #NigeriaJustice #KujeCourt #HumanRights #OmoyeleSowore #DemocracyNigeria #BreakingNews
