Sowore alleges Police brutality, broken arm, secret transfer

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, has accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force of brutalising him while in custody, resulting in a broken right arm and a forced transfer to another facility.

Sowore, who had been detained on Wednesday, August 7, after honouring a police invitation in connection with a petition filed against him, narrated the incident in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday morning.

According to him, the assault took place in the early hours of Thursday, August 8, at the Force Intelligence Department facility in Abuja where he was being held.

“This morning at 6AM, a police team led by a Chief Superintendent of Police from the IGP Monitoring Unit forcibly gained entry into my cell at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, claiming they were taking me to court,” Sowore wrote.

He alleged that the officers, numbering nine and including eight heavily armed men, manhandled him when he insisted on being informed of the charges against him and requested to notify his legal team.

“When I asked to see the charges and notify my lawyers, they handled me roughly, breaking my arm in the process before whisking me away to another police facility,” Sowore stated.

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He concluded the post with the hashtag #EgbetokunMustGo, a direct reference to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, signaling his displeasure with the leadership of the police.

Sowore had been invited by the police for questioning on Wednesday over an undisclosed petition. After reporting as requested, he was reportedly detained and denied access to his legal team.

This incident adds to Sowore’s long history of confrontation with Nigerian security agencies.

He has faced multiple arrests, detentions, and legal battles since 2019, when he was first detained over his #RevolutionNow protest campaign.

The allegations have sparked outrage on social media, with human rights groups and civil society actors demanding an independent investigation into the incident. Legal and civic organisations have also called for Sowore’s immediate release and medical attention.

As of the time of this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to Sowore’s claims.

Meanwhile, supporters and legal representatives of the activist are calling for transparency, due process, and accountability in the handling of his case.