The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to online publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, while imposing fresh conditions for his release.
Justice Umar Mohammed ruled on Tuesday that Sowore must provide two sureties, each backed by a N200 million bail bond.
The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore's community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, while the second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In addition, Sowore was directed to surrender his international passport to the deputy registrar of the court for safekeeping. The judge further ordered that both sureties must be verified by prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), before the bail conditions can be perfected.
The ruling follows the court's decision on June 16 to revoke the self-recognition bail earlier granted to Sowore in December 2025 after he failed to appear for his trial. Justice Mohammed also issued a bench warrant for his arrest over his absence.
Last Tuesday, the judge ordered that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his application seeking a stay of execution of the bail revocation order and bench warrant.
The court also dismissed an application by the defendant seeking the judge's withdrawal from the case over allegations of bias.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime. The charges stem from social media posts on his official X and Facebook accounts in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a "criminal."
During Tuesday's proceedings, Sowore's counsel, R. O. Adakole, urged the court to release his client to him to enable him retrieve his passport from the U.S. Embassy in Lagos.
Justice Mohammed adjourned the case until July 6, 2026, for the continuation of hearing.
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