On the Assault and Re-Arrest of Omoyele Sowore Outside Kuje Court: A Grave Affront to the Rule of Law and Nigeria’s Democratic Integrity

The League for Social Justice (LSJ) condemns in the strongest possible terms the brazen assault and unlawful re-arrest of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore on the premises of the Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja, despite having been granted bail alongside 13 others by Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id.

According to credible eyewitness accounts, officers of the Nigeria Police, led by CSP Ilyasu Barau, Investigating Police Officer and Officer in Charge of Anti-Vice under the FCT CID, physically assaulted Mr. Sowore, punched him, dragged him on the ground, and forced him into a waiting police van. This occurred as his legal team worked to perfect bail conditions granted moments earlier by the court.

We are deeply alarmed by the following:

1. Violation of Judicial Authority: The forceful re-arrest of a defendant in front of the court that granted him bail, without the presentation of any new charges or remand order, constitutes an egregious contempt of court and undermines the principle of separation of powers. The Nigerian Police has no legal authority to arbitrarily override a judicial decision.

2. Use of “Secret Remand Orders”: The DSS and Nigeria Police have increasingly relied on unverified or undisclosed remand documents to justify post-courtroom detentions. The alleged use of a “secret remand order” in this case is unconstitutional, opaque, and reflective of a parallel system of repression outside the bounds of due process.

3. Escalating Criminalization of Protest: The charges against Mr. Sowore and 13 others, arising from the peaceful #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, follow a familiar pattern of using vague legal provisions like 'unlawful assembly' to harass citizens, silence dissent, and punish political expression.

4. Endemic Police Brutality: The physical attack on Mr. Sowore reaffirms what many Nigerians already know: that police brutality did not end with the #EndSARS protests; it was merely repackaged. That this act took place under the nose of the judiciary is a national disgrace.

   
   

Our Demands

1. Immediate Release of Omoyele Sowore, or a formal arraignment in compliance with constitutional provisions.

2. Disciplinary Action against CSP Ilyasu Barau and all officers involved in the assault and unlawful re-arrest.

3. A Public Apology from the Nigeria Police Force for this violation of constitutional rights, due process, and judicial authority.

4. A Legislative Inquiry by the National Assembly into the abuse of remand procedures and repeated violations of citizens' rights at the hands of security agencies.

5. Independent Oversight by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and civil society monitors to prevent further abuses against protesters, journalists, and activists.

   
   

Final Word

This goes far beyond Omoyele Sowore. This is about whether Nigeria will uphold the rule of law or continue its descent into authoritarian lawlessness. When the courts are ignored, and the law becomes a weapon in the hands of the powerful, we do not have a democracy; ours becomes democracy in name only.

The League for Social Justice will continue to monitor this matter closely and is prepared to pursue legal action, national mobilization, and international advocacy to defend the rights of all citizens against arbitrary power.

Justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done.

Signed,

Dr. LaBode Obanor

President, League for Social Justice