Former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, was on Thursday arrested by armed police officers shortly after attending the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The incident happened within the court premises, where Sowore, who has been at the forefront of calls for Kanu’s release, was approached by police operatives.
They informed him that they had been directed to take him to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command. When asked the reason for his arrest, one of the officers reportedly said they were acting on the order of the Commissioner of Police.
Sowore, who insisted that his lawyer must accompany him, was eventually taken away in a police van. His arrest came just days after he joined other activists in organizing a protest tagged #FreeNnamdiKanu, which took place across parts of Abuja and other states last Monday.
During the protest, 12 people, including Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, and one of his lawyers, Alloy Ejimakor, were arrested by security operatives and later remanded in Kuje prison.
The police later filed a First Information Report (FIR) against them at the Chief Magistrate Court in Kuje, accusing the protesters of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, and public nuisance.
The police alleged that the protest was held in defiance of a court order and that the demonstrators disrupted traffic flow and threatened national security by chanting inflammatory songs while demanding Kanu’s release.
Those charged include Kanu’s brother, his lawyer, and ten others, all arrested at different locations within Abuja.The case is expected to resume on Friday when the court will take the plea of the 12 defendants.
It remains uncertain whether Sowore’s name will be added to the list of those charged in connection with the protest.Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, has been an outspoken critic of government policies and a vocal supporter of Kanu’s right to a fair trial.
His sudden arrest after attending the court hearing has drawn public attention, as observers await further clarification from the police on the exact reason behind his detention.