The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arraigned human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, before a magistrate court in Abuja.
Sowore was brought before the court on Thursday after his arrest within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he had gone to show solidarity with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, Sowore was charged with violating a subsisting court order that restricts protests within the Federal Capital Territory.
Hundeyin confirmed to Nigeria Info that the activist for allegedly "violating the court order that restricted protests in Abuja."
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, however, described the arraignment as “an abuse of the judicial process,” insisting that the activist’s arrest and prosecution were politically motivated.
In a post on his X handle, Effiong said, “The arraignment of Omoyele Sowore is preposterous. The police and the Tinubu regime are making a mockery of our judicial system. He should be released immediately.”
Sowore’s arraignment follows his leadership of the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja earlier in the week, during which several protesters, including Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, and his brother, Emmanuel Kanu, were arrested and remanded at Kuje Prison.
