Omoyele Sowore

DSS operatives arrested Sowore at a Lagos hotel around 1:25 a.m. on 3 August 2019 (the affidavit in his damages suit and one later report say 2 August), two days before the #RevolutionNow protests he had called for 5 August 2019. He was held on a 45-day court order obtained on 8 August 2019, charged on 20 September 2019 with treasonable felony, cybercrime and money-laundering offences, and kept in custody despite release and bail orders of 24 September, 4 October and 6 November 2019. The DSS released him on 5 December 2019, re-arrested him inside the Federal High Court on 6 December 2019, and freed him on 24 December 2019 after the Attorney-General took over the case. On 10 December 2019 the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the court invasion, and the Nigerian Bar Association condemned it. The DSS's allegations were never proven in court: the charge was discontinued and struck out in February 2024. Courts later declared the arrest illegal (N1m damages, 21 March 2022) and the phone seizure unconstitutional (N2m, 8 December 2021). Sowore called the charges politically motivated persecution.

The Federal Government charged Sowore and Olawale Bakare with seven counts over the planned August 2019 #RevolutionNow protest: conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, treasonable felony, a cybercrime count for an Arise TV interview allegedly meant to insult President Buhari, and money-laundering counts. Both pleaded not guilty on 30 September 2019. They were granted bail on 4 October 2019, but the State Security Service (DSS) held Sowore until 5 December 2019 and re-arrested him in court on 6 December 2019; he was freed on 24 December 2019 after the Attorney-General took over the prosecution. The trial made little progress: the prosecution called one witness in over four years, and the case restarted after changes of judge. On 15 February 2024 the Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, filed a notice of discontinuance (dated 14 February 2024). On 19 February 2024 Justice Emeka Nwite struck out the charge and ordered the DSS to return Sowore's two phones, passport and N10,000. Outcome: struck out after discontinuance by the prosecution. There was no trial verdict and no conviction. Sowore called the charges politically motivated persecution.

On an ex parte application by the DSS, Justice Taiwo Taiwo on 8 August 2019 allowed the agency to detain Sowore for 45 days, not the 90 days it asked for, to finish investigating the #RevolutionNow allegations. Sowore's lawyers filed a 19-ground motion on 9 August 2019 to set the order aside; on 28 August 2019 Justice Nkeonye Maha declined to hear it and sent the matter back to Justice Taiwo. The order expired on 21 September 2019. The DSS withdrew its application to renew detention, and on 24 September 2019 Justice Taiwo ordered Sowore's release to his counsel, with his passport deposited in court. The DSS did not release him. Outcome: the detention order lapsed and release was ordered (a procedural win for Sowore); there was no finding on the allegations, which moved into the criminal charge (see 'frn-v-sowore-bakare-2019'). Filed in August 2019; the day was not found.

While still in DSS custody, Sowore sued the DSS Director-General and the Attorney-General for N500 million in general and aggravated damages. He claimed the August 2019 arrest, an alleged physical attack and his continued detention violated his rights to life, dignity, fair hearing, health, and freedom of movement and association. His co-detainee Olawale Bakare filed a parallel suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1428/2019). After repeated adjournments, Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered judgment on 21 March 2022. He declared the 2019 arrest illegal and the clampdown on the #RevolutionNow protests unconstitutional, and ordered the DSS to pay Sowore N1 million in damages. Outcome: won in part (N1m awarded against N500m claimed).

After the DSS re-arrested Sowore in court on 6 December 2019, his lawyers applied for an order compelling the DSS and the Attorney-General to produce him for release under the bail already granted. On 17 December 2019 Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered both to appear and explain the continued detention, adjourning to 23 December. On 23 December 2019 Justice Ahmed Mohammed withdrew from the case and returned the file to the Chief Judge for reassignment. He cited Sahara Reporters' 2016 and 2019 reports accusing him of taking a bribe in another case (the trial of former Benue governor Gabriel Suswam). Sowore was released on 24 December 2019 on the Attorney-General's directive, overtaking the application. Outcome: overtaken by release (no reported final ruling).

Arraigned on 4 January 2021 with four co-defendants on three counts: criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and attempting to incite public disturbance. All pleaded not guilty and were remanded in Kuje. On 8 January 2021 the Attorney-General reportedly directed the DPP to take over the prosecution from police. On 11 January 2021 Sowore got N20 million bail with two sureties, on condition that he stay in Abuja and report to the registrar twice weekly. The trial was adjourned to 5 February 2021 and later to 7 May 2021. No final outcome (strike-out, withdrawal, or judgment) was found, so it is recorded as pending/unknown.

Sowore, through lawyer Funmi Falana, challenged the DSS's seizure of his iPhones and N10,000 at a Lagos hotel on 3 August 2019 without a court warrant. The DSS said the phones were 'recovered', not seized, and were still being examined for links to terrorism. On 8 December 2021 Justice Anwuli Chikere called the seizure illegal and unconstitutional. She ordered the DSS to return the phones and money, pay Sowore N2 million, and publish an apology in two national dailies within two months. Outcome: won. The phones were still listed among the items the court ordered returned when the criminal charge was struck out in February 2024, which suggests the order had not been complied with by then.

Leonard Nzenwa, whom the Sowore-led AAC had expelled in May 2019 and who called himself acting national chairman, sued to enforce the National Executive Committee's suspension of Sowore (national chairman) and Malcolm Fabiyi (deputy national chairman) over allegations of financial misconduct and anti-party activity. Sowore denied the allegations. On 17 May 2019 Justice Inyang Ekwo granted an ex parte order stopping Sowore and Fabiyi from acting as chairman and deputy and stopping INEC from recognising them. On 12 July 2019 he gave judgment for Nzenwa, granting all his reliefs, including a perpetual injunction against INEC recognising Sowore and Fabiyi. He held that their counter-affidavit, sworn by a non-party, was of no value. Sowore lost at trial and appealed as appellant in CA/A/812/2019. On 2 June 2022 a Court of Appeal panel led by Justice A.J. Adah held that the Federal High Court had no jurisdiction over the party's internal affairs, set aside the judgment, struck out Nzenwa's suit and awarded N200,000 costs against him. Sowore won on appeal. No Supreme Court appeal was found. Sowore stepped down as chairman at the AAC convention of 9 June 2022, where he became the party's presidential candidate. Filed in May 2019; the day was not found.

Struck out. Police charged Sowore under the Cybercrimes Act over posts calling IGP Kayode Egbetokun an 'illegal IGP'. He pleaded not guilty on 29 January 2025 and got N10 million bail on 30 January, with an FCT landowner as surety and his passport surrendered. The court refused his requests to release the passport for travel (March 2025, and again during vacation in August 2025). On 17 March 2026 Justice Liman struck out the charge for lack of diligent prosecution under Section 351 ACJA, after the prosecution sought yet another adjournment. Police then filed an ex parte motion to relist the case but withdrew it in open court on 24 March 2026. The court struck out that motion and released Sowore's passport through his lawyers. Egbetokun had left office in February 2026.

PR consultant Lekan Fatodu and his firm sued over a January 2017 Sahara Reporters publication linking him to contracts through the Office of the National Security Adviser under Sambo Dasuki. They claimed N100m. On 17 June 2025 Justice Oyindamola Ogala dismissed the suit, holding that the claimants had not proved the publication reached a third party, and awarded N500,000 in costs against Fatodu and his company. Sowore and Sahara Reporters won. Earlier in the case, costs of N200,000 were awarded against Fatodu for wrongly joining the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation; this is reported by the defence counsel, via Sahara Reporters. Sahara Reporters is Sowore's company; he founded it and is its publisher. Filed in September 2017; the day was not found.

Pending (defence stage). The DSS, through the DPP of the Federal Ministry of Justice, filed five counts on 16 September 2025 against Sowore, X Corp and Meta. The counts were cyberstalking under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 and criminal defamation under Section 375 of the Criminal Code, over 25-26 August 2025 X and Facebook posts calling President Tinubu 'a criminal' for claiming in Brazil that corruption had ended. Sowore pleaded not guilty on 2 December 2025 and was released on self-recognition. An amended charge was filed on 5 December 2025. On 19 January 2026 he was re-arraigned on the amended charge (reported as two counts) as sole defendant, and X and Meta were struck out. On 8 May 2026 his no-case submission was dismissed. His bail was revoked and a bench warrant issued on 16 June 2026 after he failed to appear. He appeared on 22 June and was remanded in Kuje; his recusal application was dismissed. On 30 June 2026 he got fresh N200 million bail with two sureties (one a traditional ruler from his community) and his passport deposited. He opened his defence on 6 July 2026. In August 2026 the DSS said it would seek to suspend the trial until after the 2027 election. On 28 September 2026 the prosecution did not seek a long adjournment and the defence continued. Sowore denies the charges and calls the prosecution political persecution.

Pending. Sowore was added through an amended First Information Report and arraigned on 24 October 2025 with 12 others (including Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer Aloy Ejimakor and brother Emmanuel Kanu). Premium Times reported two counts, unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace; Punch listed more offences from the amended FIR. All pleaded not guilty and got N500,000 bail each with two sureties, verified NIN, a three-year tax clearance and passport deposit. Police took Sowore to Kuje prison moments after bail; he was released on 27 October 2025 after perfecting bail. A Sahara Reporters headline of 5 June 2026 says the court gave the prosecution a final chance, and BBC Pidgin (23 June 2026) says the case is still ongoing.

Won. Sowore sought N500 million over the Lagos CP's 3 November 2025 declaration of him as wanted, made without invitation, warrant or charge. The court granted an interim order suspending the declaration on 5 November 2025. On 20 February 2026 it held the declaration illegal and unconstitutional and awarded N30 million damages against the Police, the IGP and the Lagos CP. BBC Pidgin (June 2026) said it was unclear whether the damages had been paid or appealed. A Punch headline quotes the police PRO as saying the Lagos CP was 'handling' the N30m damages.

Senate President Bukola Saraki sued Sahara Reporters and its publisher Sowore for libel. On 28 June 2017 Justice (A.S./Adeyinka Sikiru) Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court awarded Saraki N4bn in damages. Premium Times reported that the judgment also ordered 10 per cent (N400m) monthly interest. A garnishee order of 25 July 2017 froze bank accounts at UBA and GTB linked to Sowore and Sahara Reporters. On 4 December 2018 the Court of Appeal, Ilorin (Justices Ibrahim Saulawa, Chidi Uwa and Hamma Barka) set aside the judgment and sent the case back to the High Court for retrial before a new judge. The defence had argued that the defendants were never served and were not heard. The appeal was won. No report of the retrial's outcome was found, so the final status of the suit is unverified. Sahara Reporters is Sowore's company; he founded it and is its publisher.

On 17 October 2025, on a police ex parte motion, the court restrained Sowore (1st respondent), Sahara Reporters Ltd, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, the Take It Back Movement and unknown persons from protesting near Aso Rock Villa, the National Assembly, Force Headquarters, the Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the motion on notice. The 20 October hearing was stalled by the protest itself. The 29 October hearing was moved to 5 November 2025 because the judge was absent. No later ruling was found. This is a civil restraining suit, not a criminal charge; the criminal charges from the protest were brought at the Kuje Magistrate Court. Filed in October 2025; the day was not found.

The MFM church and its general overseer, Daniel Olukoya, sued Sowore, the Sahara Media Foundation and Sahara Reporters in Uyo. They claimed N10bn in damages plus takedown, retraction and apology orders over Sahara Reporters stories about the cleric. Sowore responded publicly: 'Nothing To Worry About!' He said Olukoya had earlier sought a meeting with him through an intermediary. No report of a hearing or disposal of the Uyo suit was found. Olukoya later sued Sowore in a US federal court in Maryland, where he was sanctioned in 2021; that case is outside this thread. Sahara Reporters is Sowore's company; he founded it and is its publisher. Filed in September 2018; the day was not found.

The Inspector-General of Police, his son Victor and ACP Bukola Kuti brought three civil suits against Sowore and Sahara Reporters through Ayotunde Ogunleye SAN. On 18 February 2026, on ex parte motions, Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi granted interim injunctions pending the motions on notice. The IGP's order bars publications concerning him, his office or family members or the subject matter of the suit. Victor Egbetokun's order bars 'defamatory and derogatory statements', including the claim that he received N100m from Anambra State security votes. Kuti's order bars allegedly defamatory statements about her. The motions on notice were fixed for 14 April 2026. Police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the step. Sowore publicly accused the IGP of filing a 'secret' suit to silence critics (BarristerNG headline, 18 February 2026, seen only as a headline). No later ruling was found. Egbetokun was replaced as IGP around 24 February 2026. Sahara Reporters is Sowore's company; he founded it and is its publisher. Filed in February 2026; the day was not found.

Pending. Police charged Sowore and Sahara Reporters on three counts: conspiracy, forgery of a police wireless message dated 30 July 2025, and false publication with intent to incite mutiny. The charge followed his role in retired police officers' pension protests. Arraignment stalled on 27 August 2025 because Sahara Reporters had not been served. On 15 September 2025 the defence raised preliminary objections, arguing Sahara Reporters is not a legal entity and the charge is incompetent. By February 2026 the AGF had handed prosecution to a private lawyer paid by the Police; the defence objected to this. The case was adjourned to 28 May 2026. No later report was found, and no plea was reported. Filed in August 2025; the day was not found.

Benue governor Samuel Ortom sued Sowore, as publisher of Sahara Reporters and the 1st defendant, and Sesugh Akume for N150m. The claim concerns a Sahara Reporters/Opera News publication of 8 September 2020 and an Akume press release of 28 August 2020 alleging that Ortom illegally deducted local government funds. In October 2020 the court allowed substituted service on Sowore by email and the Sahara Reporters website. Ortom called witnesses. The court refused Akume's recusal motion (February 2022) and his application for a stay of proceedings (1 June 2022), and adjourned to 28 June 2022 for the defence. No judgment or withdrawal was found. Ortom left office in May 2023. Sahara Reporters is Sowore's company; he founded it and is its publisher. Filed in September 2020; the day was not found.

Pending. Sowore seeks declarations that his 23 October 2025 arrest at the FHC premises and his 24 October arraignment and detention were illegal. He asks for N200 million general damages and N1 billion punitive damages, a public apology in three national newspapers, and disciplinary action against the IGP and FCT CP. On 14 January 2026 none of the respondents appeared despite service, and the court fixed 10 March 2026 for definite hearing. No report of the 10 March hearing or a judgment was found. BBC Pidgin (23 June 2026) says the case is still going on. Filed in November 2025; the day was not found.