By David Lawani, Abuja
Human rights activist, publisher and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, was on Wednesday returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre after a Federal High Court in Abuja declined a request for his release pending the determination of his challenge against the revocation of his bail.
The development marks the latest twist in the controversial cybercrime case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS) against the activist. This prosecution has continued to generate intense public debate over freedom of expression, cybercrime laws and the limits of political criticism in Nigeria.
Justice Mohammed Umar fixed June 30, 2026, to hear and rule on Sowore’s application seeking to set aside the bench warrant issued against him as well as the court’s decision revoking the bail earlier granted to him.
The activist had been granted bail on self-recognition in December 2025, but the court revoked the bail on Monday after he failed to appear for proceedings on June 16.
The court subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered that he be remanded pending further proceedings.
Before the latest development, Justice Umar had directed Sowore to open his defence in the cybercrime charges brought against him by the DSS.
At Wednesday’s sitting, defence counsel, R.O. Adakonye, who represented senior lawyer Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), reminded the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of the application challenging both the bench warrant and the revocation of bail.
The defence argued that the application deserved urgent consideration and sought relief from the court pending a final determination of the matter.
However, prosecuting counsel, A.T. Kehinde (SAN), opposed the request, informing the court that he had filed a counter-affidavit urging the judge to dismiss the application and uphold the earlier orders.
Kehinde insisted that the court acted within its powers when it revoked the bail and issued the warrant following Sowore’s absence from court.
After listening to submissions from both parties, Justice Umar adjourned proceedings until June 30 for ruling on the application.
In a final plea, Adakonye urged the court to release Sowore into his custody, assuring the judge that the defendant would appear unfailingly on the next adjourned date.
The request was, however, rejected.
The judge ordered that Sowore be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the application.
Sowore is facing prosecution over allegations of cyber-bullying arising from social media posts published in August 2025 on his X account and Facebook page.
The DSS alleged that the activist referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in the posts, which form the basis of the charges against him.
The case has attracted widespread attention from civil society groups, political observers and free speech advocates, many of whom view the proceedings as a major test of the relationship between cybercrime laws and constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression.
Supporters of the activist have continued to demand his release and the withdrawal of the charges, while the prosecution maintains that the case is about accountability under the law and not political persecution.
With the June 30 ruling now expected to determine whether the bench warrant and bail revocation will stand, Sowore’s legal battle has entered a critical phase, with both supporters and critics closely watching the proceedings.
