JUST IN: Tension at Abuja High Court as #EndBadGovernance Protesters Demand Sowore’s Release

Protesters storm the Abuja High Court, demanding the immediate release of activist Omoyele Sowore. The demonstration intensifies as calls for justice and good governance grow louder.

Protesters from the #EndBadGovernance movement assembled at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, calling for activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore’s immediate release.

The protest encountered a significant police presence, resulting in accusations of intimidation by the security forces.

A protester voiced frustration about the situation, criticizing authorities for what he called misplaced priorities. “Rather than tackling urgent issues impacting Nigerians, they are concentrating on silencing dissenting voices,” he stated.

The protesters argued that Sowore’s arrest and prosecution for his social media comments underscore increasing worries about the diminishing space for free speech in Nigeria.

“The protester stated, ‘Police officers are here to intimidate demonstrators while Abuja is in chaos. Instead of being deployed to crime hotspots, they gather here. This reflects the priorities of the government and Kayode Egbetokun, the unlawful Inspector General of Police. If he took his role seriously, he’d direct his force towards combating crime rather than harassing peaceful protesters.’”

The demonstrators demanded that Sowore, who is currently detained, be brought before the court without delay or released if no formal charges have been made against him.

“We are requesting that Sowore be presented in court immediately. If there are no charges against him, cease his detention and stop violating his right to liberty. Release Sowore now!” declared another protester.

In addition to Sowore’s case, the protesters demanded a stop to what they described as using the judiciary as a weapon against government critics.

“We are calling for the dismissal of all cases against government critics. Any critic who was unfairly prosecuted in this country should have their case dismissed. The authorities need to concentrate on significant issues rather than pursuing trivial ones,” the protester stated.

In spite of the significant security presence, the protesters pledged to persist in their advocacy until their demands were fulfilled.

According to Platinumpost, Sowore has been called in for questioning regarding several allegations. These include resisting and obstructing public officers, failing to comply with lawful orders, cyberstalking, and engaging in actions that allegedly sought to prevent arrests.

In a statement on X.com on Monday, he asserted that his summons was politically driven, connecting it to his public criticism of the extension of Egbetokun’s tenure.

Sowore later disclosed that he had been released on bail after interacting with the Force Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police in Abuja.

Nonetheless, he insisted that he would turn down any bail conditions if they threatened his “innocence, dignity, or integrity.”

On Tuesday, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, confirmed that the police would be arraigning the rights activist on Wednesday (today).

“The police have secured charges to arraign Omoyele Sowore before Justice Liman at the Federal High Court tomorrow,” Abubakar stated.