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Police Move to Detain Sowore Over Alleged Forgery
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Sowore demands petition copy, refuses to speak without it
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Armed police surround FID as supporters demand his release
There was growing tension in Abuja on Wednesday as the Nigeria Police reportedly secured a controversial court order to detain human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, over allegations of forgery and criminal defamation.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Sowore had honoured a revised police invitation at the Force Headquarters alongside his lawyers, A.K. Musa and Marshal Abubakar, and a group of supporters. Upon arrival at the Force Intelligence Department (FID), he demanded access to the original petition filed against him and declined to make any statement without it, causing a halt in interrogation.
The police, however, claimed he would have to wait for the Deputy Inspector General of Police. His legal team raised concerns that this was a pretext to detain him unlawfully. They also demanded to see the court order authorising his detention, which the police have yet to present.
By evening, armed officers had surrounded the FID facility, fuelling speculation that Sowore might be moved to an undisclosed location. Supporters gathered at the headquarters, demanding his immediate release and accusing the authorities of political persecution.
The standoff follows a police invitation dated August 4, which Sowore rejected, arguing that it cited a non-existent law—Section 53(2) of “ACJA 2025”—and referenced an unrecognised offence.
The police later issued a corrected invitation on August 5, replacing the incitement charge with criminal defamation while retaining the forgery claim.
Sowore, known for his activism and frequent clashes with security agencies, confirmed he would honour the August 6 invitation but urged fellow activists to accompany him.
The case reportedly relates to a protest by retired police officers and Sowore’s claim that a police cameraman stole his Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses.
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