Nigeria Police Arrest Sowore at Abuja Court Over Protest Ban Violation

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Nigeria Police Arrest Sowore at Abuja Court Over Protest Ban Violation

Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has been arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command in Abuja.

The arrest took place on Thursday within the premises of the Federal High Court, shortly after Sowore showed solidarity with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Police authorities allege that Sowore violated a standing court order restricting protests within the Three Arms Zone, an area housing key government institutions, including the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Villa.

Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that Sowore is currently in police custody and is expected to be charged to court.

Reacting to the arrest, human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, described the police action as “preposterous,” accusing the authorities of undermining judicial integrity and calling for Sowore’s immediate release.

Sowore’s arrest follows his recent participation in the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest held in Abuja on Monday. During that demonstration, security operatives reportedly fired live rounds to disperse protesters, leading to the arrest of Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor; his brother, Emmanuel Kanu; and ten others.

The detainees were subsequently charged with inciting public disturbance and breach of peace, with a Magistrate Court in Kuje ordering their remand. The police claimed the group obstructed traffic and disrupted public order during the protest.

Omoyele Sowore, a well-known journalist and pro-democracy campaigner, has been a vocal critic of successive Nigerian governments.

As the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, he has consistently mobilised citizens for protests demanding good governance, human rights, and accountability.

His recent activism centres on the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, whose prolonged trial has reignited debates on justice and self-determination in Nigeria.