BREAKING: Sowore Arrives At Abuja High Court To Face Police Charges Of Inciting Mutiny, Cybercrime, Forgery

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate under the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja ahead of his scheduled arraignment over fresh charges filed by the Nigeria Police Force.

The police have accused Sowore of cybercrime, forgery, and inciting police mutiny during a protest with retired police officers in July.

The three-count charge will be heard before Justice Emeka Nwite.

Sowore, who was in high spirits, said he remains resolute and undaunted, irrespective of the intimidation by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

He said Nigerian citizens and the police must be liberated from the shackles of the oppressors who have been holding them hostage.

The activist was accompanied by the human rights lawyers led by Abubakar Marshal, Alexander Oketa, Wayne Chikezie Elijah, and Chike Anago Amanze, as well as his supporters.

The new case comes months after Sowore’s January 2025 arraignment on 17 counts of cybercrime offences for repeatedly referring to Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun as “illegal IGP”

Those charges stemmed from a video clip and social media posts in which he called for mass resistance against what he described as “constitutional vandalism” following the IGP’s controversial tenure extension.

Sowore confirmed his arrival in an X post on Thursday.

“At the Federal Court Abuja, I am attending to newly filed charges by the Nigeria Police Force, which allege unfounded cybercrime and forgery. #RevolutionNow,” he wrote on Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, Sowore also disclosed that the police had returned his AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses, which were stolen during the July protest.

“Today, the Nigeria Police Force returned my stolen Ray-Ban Meta eyeglasses, stolen by the National Thief, Aku Victor Chiemerie, to me,” he posted.

He added that the police admitted that they found his Ray-Ban AI metal glasses and then returned them to him.

The July 21 demonstration, which sought improved pensions for retired police officers and the removal of the force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, was marred by the theft, which was captured on video.

The glasses were returned after Sowore honoured a police invitation to the Force Headquarters on Tuesday.

Thursday’s arraignment will be the latest in a string of legal battles between Sowore and the police this year, most of them tied to cybercrime allegations.