Drama in court as police re-arrest Sowore moments after bail

There was mild drama at the magistrate court in Kuje, Abuja, when police officers whisked away Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and publisher.

Earlier on Friday, the court granted bail to Sowore, Aloy Ejimakor, one of disengaged counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Others granted bail are Emmanuel Kanu, Joshua Emmanuel, Wilson Anyalewechi, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma, and Chima Onuchukwu.

Sowore was arrested by police on Thursday shortly after leaving the premises of the federal high court in Abuja.

The Sahara Reporters publisher was arrested for leading the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest to “restricted areas” in Abuja.

Granting the bail application, Abubakar Umar Sai’id, the magistrate, asked Sowore and the other protesters to present two sureties with a sum of N500,000 each.

The magistrate ordered that the defendants present a verified national identification number (NIN), three-year tax clearance certificates and passports as part of the bail conditions.

Some moments after the court ruling, police officers were said to have manhandled Sowore and bundled him inside their van.

Speaking on the development, Tope Temokun, the counsel to Sowore, claimed that the police officers “descended violently upon” the activist in a bid to “abduct” him.

Temokun said the police have no legal justification to take Sowore to an “unknown destination”.

“After the court had freely and honorably granted bail to human rights defender Omoyele Sowore on liberal terms, a detachment of police officers, led by CSP Iliyasu, OC Anti Vice, State Command CID, invaded the court premises in a display of raw impunity and disdain for the rule of law,” the lawyer said.

“They descended violently upon Omoyele Sowore and those present and, in the full glare of the public, abducted Sowore and whisked him away.

“In the course of standing up against this brazen illegality, I and others were physically assaulted; I sustained injuries and my bib was blood-stained in the chaos that ensued.

“The officers, in a most unruly and undisciplined manner, rough-handled Sowore away and whisked him away. Let it be known that Sowore was not taken to prison.”