Omoyele Sowore, Nigerian activist and former presidential candidate, was arrested by police shortly after attending a Federal High Court session in Abuja on October 23, 2025. The session was part of the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
According to reports, Sowore was apprehended by armed officers outside the courtroom and taken to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command. When questioned about the reason for his detention, one officer cited an order from the Commissioner of Police, though no formal invitation or warrant was presented to Sowore or his legal team. Sowore insisted that his lawyer accompany him and was subsequently transported in a police van.
This arrest follows a series of events related to the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protests. On October 20, Sowore participated in a demonstration advocating for Kanu’s release. During the protest, several individuals, including Kanu’s brother, Emmanuel, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, were arrested and later remanded in Kuje prison. The police charged them with offenses such as inciting disturbance and breaching public peace, alleging that the protest was held in defiance of a court order and disrupted public order.
In response to the arrests, Sowore threatened to occupy the FCT Police Command if Ejimakor and others were not released, labeling their detention as illegal and politically motivated. He also vowed to challenge a court order that had barred protests near key government buildings, including Aso Rock Villa, arguing that it was a violation of constitutional rights.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the charges against Sowore will be amended to include him as a defendant in the ongoing case. The situation continues to draw attention from human rights organizations and political observers, raising concerns about the suppression of dissent and the treatment of activists in Nigeria.
