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Sowore to face criminal charges in court – Police

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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed that human rights activist and 2023 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, will soon be arraigned on criminal charges.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Sowore’s arrest followed “credible and corroborated allegations” involving offences such as forgery, cyberstalking, and other criminal infractions currently under investigation.

The police stressed that the arrest was conducted in line with legal procedures and constitutional safeguards, adding that Sowore was granted bail within the 48-hour limit stipulated under Section 35(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Read Also: Obi urges police to release Sowore or charge him to court

Addressing viral images showing Sowore with a bandage on his arm, the NPF dismissed claims of torture as “false and grossly misleading,” stating that the bandage was part of his belongings before his arrest.

“Equally false is the narrative suggesting that Mr. Sowore was tortured or subjected to any form of inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody,” Adejobi said.

The Force also revealed that Sowore was twice offered medical examinations — on August 7 and 8 — by teams led by the Medical Director of Muhammadu Buhari Police Hospital and the Force Medical Officer, but he allegedly declined both offers.

Adejobi further clarified that Sowore’s detention was backed by a valid remand order from a competent court and warned against what he described as “sensationalism” by some media outlets and civil society groups.

“No individual, regardless of status, influence, or social media reach, is above the law,” he added.

The police said more updates on the case will be provided as investigations progress.

Obi urges police to release Sowore or charge him to court

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Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has called on the Nigeria Police Force to either release Omoyele Sowore immediately or charge him to court.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Friday, Obi expressed deep concern over the detention of the activist, who voluntarily honoured an invitation by the police for questioning.

According to him, the conduct of the police has the potential to erode public confidence in the institutions.

The former Anambra State Governor said, “I was deeply disturbed to learn of the arrest of Mr Omoyele Sowore @YeleSowore yesterday, shortly after he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Nigerian Police Force.

“At the time of writing, no clear or credible charges have been made public, which further casts a troubling shadow over the nature and motivation behind his detention.

“His arrest, particularly under circumstances where he presented himself in good faith to law enforcement, should be condemned by all who value justice and due process.

Read Also: Tinubu overfeeding Nigerians with false statistics – Peter Obi

“From all indications, no urgency or criminal flight risk warranted such high-handed treatment.

“To detain a citizen who came of his own accord, without the public disclosure of clear, lawful charges, is not only a miscarriage of justice but an abuse of state power.

“As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato rightly said, “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.

“When those entrusted with power act unjustly, they poison not only the legal order but also the moral conscience of the nation.

“I therefore call on the Nigerian Police to immediately release Omoyele Sowore or charge him formally under the law.

“Anything short of this would be a further erosion of public trust in the nation’s law enforcement institutions.

“It is our collective duty to insist that the rule of law must apply to all citizens – regardless of ideology, background, or political alignment.” – PO