Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after Justice Liman again refused to hear his motion seeking the release of his passport for the fifth consecutive time, Sowore recounted events that began in January 2025, when he was invited by the police over allegations that he filmed some officers engaging in corrupt practices along Airport Road in Lagos.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has accused the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja of working together to perpetually withhold his passport by deliberately frustrating court proceedings in his ongoing trial for alleged cyberstalking and for referring to the IGP as an “illegal IGP.”

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after Justice Liman again refused to hear his motion seeking the release of his passport for the fifth consecutive time, Sowore recounted events that began in January 2025, when he was invited by the police over allegations that he filmed some officers engaging in corrupt practices along Airport Road in Lagos.

Sowore said the police invitation later escalated into accusations that he had described the IGP as “illegal”.

He alleged that the then Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Force Intelligence Department, Dasuki Danbappa Galadanchi (now retired), pressured him throughout the interrogation.

According to him, his activism against alleged age falsification and illegal tenure extension within the police hierarchy affecting “over 500 officers” triggered a wave of prosecutions and multiple court cases against him.

He maintained that the current IGP, whose tenure he insisted was illegally extended, remains “a major target” of their accountability campaign.

Sowore explained that the trial judge has kept his passport since January 2025 despite no meaningful progress in the case, a plot which he described as ‘premeditated and a conspiracy theory’.

His legal team, he said, filed an application seeking the temporary release of the passport to enable him travel to the United States to visit his family for Christmas. But the judge has failed to sit, claiming to be attending a conference.

“When my lawyer arrived, the judge refused to come out of his chambers,” Sowore said, alleging further that the judge threatened to revoke his bail after being informed that the defence had lost confidence in his neutrality.

He added that the case has now been adjourned to February 25, 2026, describing it as “a deliberate attempt to keep my passport seized in collaboration with the illegal IGP.”

Sowore also spoke on what he described as a plot by government officials and certain individuals to ensure he spends Christmas in prison.

He revealed that he is facing yet another charge next week over comments he made about police leadership, alleging that some senior lawyers are pushing for his remand “simply for criticizing the president.”

He criticised the rising insecurity in the country, attributing it to “poor police leadership” and the militarisation of internal security. He referenced ongoing kidnappings in Niger State and alleged abuses by security agencies and lawmakers.

The activist revealed that he is not afraid of being remanded and spending Christmas in a correctional facility. He said he has been attending court proceedings fully prepared, bringing his bags and other personal items to court.

Sowore stated that 2025 has been marked by several civic victories, including the Senate’s recent passage of a bill removing police personnel from the contributory pension scheme, an issue activists had fought for years.

He highlighted several instances throughout 2025 where protesters secured the release of detainees, challenged state abuses, and resisted “oppression and intimidation.”

Sowore vowed to continue his activism, insisting that “no number of court cases or detentions” would stop the push for systemic reforms.

He lambasted the Tinubu-led government, accusing it of bringing “nothing but tears, hardship and sorrow” to Nigerians.

Background

On June 25, SaharaReporters reported that Justice Liman had failed to appear in court on two consecutive dates.

The missed sittings were specifically scheduled to hear a fresh application seeking the release of Sowore’s passport, which remains in the court’s custody.

Sources at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) told SaharaReporters that the police repeatedly refused to hand over the case file to AGF Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), despite multiple formal requests.

The hearing expected to consider Sowore’s application for the temporary release of his passport was again stalled on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, as the judge was absent for the second time.

Similarly, on April 25, SaharaReporters reported that Justice Liman’s absence had stalled proceedings in the case relating to the recovery of Sowore’s passport.

Sowore, who was granted bail on January 30, 2025, with a bond of N10 million and conditions including the surrender of his passport, had petitioned the court for its temporary release, specifying the exact number of days he needed it.

The police first invited Sowore in January 2025 after he posted a video on social media accusing police officers of extorting motorists at a checkpoint near Lagos Airport.

He honoured the invitation at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja but was detained after refusing bail conditions that required surrendering his passport and providing a senior civil servant as surety.

The police alleged that Sowore knowingly made false statements intended to incite public unrest and damage the reputation of the police force.