A Magistrate’s Court in Kuje, Abuja, on Friday granted bail to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore; Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor; the IPOB leader’s brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu; and 11 others arrested over the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
The defendants, who were arraigned on allegations of unlawful assembly, incitement and breach of public peace, were granted bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each with two sureties in like sum. Presiding Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id also directed them to provide a verified National Identification Number (NIN), tax clearance certificates for three years and submit their passports before release.
Ejimakor, Emmanuel Kanu and the other protesters were arrested on Monday during the solidarity march calling for the release of the detained IPOB leader, while Sowore was apprehended on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja after attending Kanu’s terrorism trial.
However, shortly after the court delivered its ruling, chaos erupted outside the courthouse. Witnesses said police officers forcefully seized Sowore as his legal team worked to perfect the bail requirements.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, identified as CSP Ilyasu Barau, led officers who punched and dragged the activist on the ground before shoving him into a waiting van.
“The IPO punched him, dragged him and shoved him violently into the van,” a witness said, describing the scene as a blatant disregard for the court’s decision.
Lawyers and observers who demanded to see the alleged remand order the police cited to justify the transfer said no document was produced. Despite the bail ruling issued in open court, the officers insisted they were acting under secret instructions to move Sowore to Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sowore’s supporters and legal representatives condemned the action as a deliberate attempt to undermine judicial authority. They accused security operatives of trying to detain him through the “back door” after the court had ordered his release on self-recognizance conditions.
His arrest and continued detention sparked criticism from civil society groups and human rights advocates, who argued that the right to peaceful protest must be respected.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and vocal critic of the government, has faced multiple arrests and prosecutions over his activism, an issue that continues to attract international attention and calls for reform in Nigeria’s civic space.
The case has been adjourned while efforts continue to enforce the bail conditions and secure the release of all defendants pending trial.
