What played out at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday has been described as one of the most bizarre examples of judicial manipulation in recent memory.
Activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, was confronted with two simultaneous cases filed against him by the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.
Both cases, bordering on allegations of “cybercrime,” stem from Sowore’s controversial arrest and alleged torture in police custody on August 6, 2025.
Following his release, prosecutors reportedly urged him to “make peace” with Egbetokun by agreeing to a private meeting. Sowore said he rejected the overture, insisting that the IGP’s appointment was illegal since, according to him, Egbetokun had already completed his service as a police officer under civil service rules.
According to Sowore, the rejection provoked a swift and retaliatory move from the police. “They swore to deal with me,” he alleged, describing the back-to-back court cases as a calculated judicial ambush designed to overwhelm and confuse his legal team.
On Monday, the cases were deliberately listed as number three on the cause list of two separate courts—before Justice M.S. Liman and Justice Emeka Nwite—forcing Sowore to battle proceedings on two fronts at the same time.
In Justice Liman’s courtroom, Sowore’s legal team sought the release of his international passport, which has been withheld since February 2025.
However, despite being the substantive judge on the matter, Liman dismissed the urgency of the application, ruling that the issue was not “weighty enough” for consideration during the vacation period.
Meanwhile, in Justice Nwite’s court, police prosecutors pressed for an order of substituted service in another cybercrime case, after previously failing to serve Sahara Reporters—a U.S.-registered publication—listed as a co-defendant. Justice Nwite granted the application, allowing the police to serve notice through a Nigerian newspaper publication.
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Court observers noted the desperation of the police team, as they hurriedly requested certified copies of the order in order to publish proof of service before Wednesday, when the substantive matter is scheduled to be heard.
Despite the apparent legal ambush, Sowore’s defence team—led by Marshal Abubakar of Falana Chambers and Rosemary Hamza from Deji Adeyanju Chambers—handled the proceedings with composure. “They expected us to be disoriented, but we were prepared,” Sowore later remarked.
A small group of supporters was also present at the court in solidarity with the activist, underscoring the political undertone of the proceedings.
Sowore described the events as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s desperation to silence dissent. “Their schemes cannot derail us. What they fear is not the courtroom, but the power of a people mobilized,” he declared.
The cases are expected to continue later this week, with growing attention on what rights groups describe as an attempt to criminalize independent journalism and suppress political opposition.