The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned its ruling to June 30, 2026, on an application filed by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore seeking the restoration of his bail.Sowore, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and publisher of Sahara Reporters, remains remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the court’s decision.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, June 24, defense counsel Raphael Adakole urged Justice Mohammed Umar to set aside the June 16 order that revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The defense argued that the status quo prior to the revocation should be restored in the interest of justice, noting that a 25-paragraph affidavit had been filed to support the application.The prosecution, led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) on behalf of the Department of State Services (DSS), vehemently opposed the application.
Kehinde presented a counter-affidavit, insisting that Sowore had not provided sufficient or truthful facts to justify the reversal of the court’s previous order.Following intense arguments from both legal teams, Justice Umar declined an interim oral application to release Sowore into his lawyer’s custody and officially adjourned the matter to June 30 for a formal ruling.
The trial centers on messages shared across Sowore’s verified X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts, where he referred to the President as a “criminal” following a state visit to Brazil, accusing him of lying about the eradication of corruption in Nigeria.
Sowore was initially granted bail on self-recognizance following his arraignment. However, his bail was revoked on June 16 after the court cited his non-appearance at a scheduled proceeding, a development the activist’s legal team has heavily disputed.
The upcoming June 30 ruling will determine whether Sowore will be re-granted bail or remain in custody for the remainder of his trial.
