Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday, arraigned former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore over comments he made on social media on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
The police arraigned Sowore on a 16-count charge, relating to Cybercrime under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024 before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The police accused Sowore of intentionally and knowingly sending messages through his verified X account, (formerly Twitter) where he referred to the IGP as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun”, a publication the police considered to be false and aimed at causing a breakdown of law and order.
Count three involves a statement Sowore allegedly made on December 20, 2024, which said: “The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time, #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.”
He was also accused of causing a publication against the IGP wherein he addressed the police chief as the, “…illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which you knew to be false and tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG, containing threats to incite Nigerian citizens against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the reputation of the IGP and that of the Nigeria Police Force, thereby committed an offence punishable under section 24(2) (c) (ii) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 As Amended 2024”
He was alleged in count five to have published in his verified X handle account that, “…the current IGP came on board as he surrendered @ Policeng to special interests to really persecute the adversaries in return for getting an illegal tenure extension that has ruined policing in Nigeria today”, which he knew to be false, for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 24(2)(c) li) of the same Act.
Count 16 reads, “That you Omoyele Sowore on the 9th day of January, 2025 did intentionally and knowingly sent a video clip with a message through your verified Facebook page “Omoyele Sowore and caused a publication against the Nigeria Police Force as follows, Operation Resist Nigeria Police Force extortion Nigerian highways #RevolutionNow,” which publication you knew will cause breakdown of law and order and inciting the public against the Nigeria Police Force and you caused the message to be sent and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 as amended (2024) and punishable under section 24(2)(c) (1) of the same Act”.
Sowore pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him by the police and his legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar moved an application for his bail on self-recognition or the most liberal terms pending trial.
According to Abubakar, bail is at the discretion of the court, and prayed the court to exercise it in favour of Sowore, adding that, the complainant has not shown any reason for denying the applicant bail.
He said the police had stated that it granted the applicant bail and conceded in its affidavit that Sowore is entitled to bail, pointing out that Sowore has undertaken to stand his trial and will not interfere with the witnesses of the prosecution.
Opposing the request for bail, the prosecution counsel, Uddy Jonathan, in a 25-paragraph counter affidavit, prayed the court to dismiss the bail application, adding that bail cannot be granted in a vacuum.
He said the applicant has not placed anything before the court to show that, he will be available for his trial and urged the court to refuse the application or grant the applicant bail on conditions that will make him appear in court for his trial.
After listening to submissions of counsel, the Judge adjourned till 1 pm tomorrow (Thursday) to rule on Sowore’s bail application.
Meanwhile, Sowore has been returned to police custody pending the ruling on his bail application.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
