Sowore’s N200m Bail Terms Draw Protest, Groups Condemnation

Supporters of Omoyele Sowore stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, chanting solidarity songs and demanding his release, hours before a judge granted the activist fresh bail in the sum of N200 million.

The demonstrators, drawn from the African Action Congress, carried placards and called on the judiciary to uphold justice as proceedings got underway inside the courtroom. Their chants of “Free Sowore now” echoed outside the court premises throughout the morning.

Justice Muhammad Umar later restored Sowore’s bail on stringent terms, weeks after revoking it over his failure to appear for trial. The judge ordered the former presidential candidate to produce two sureties, each in the sum of N200 million, before regaining his freedom.

One surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community. The second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory. Both sureties require verification by the prosecution before the bail takes effect.

Justice Umar also directed Sowore to deposit his international passport with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, a condition that will remain in force until the conclusion of the criminal trial.

A rights group has already faulted the bail conditions, arguing they bear no reasonable connection to securing Sowore’s attendance in court. The group noted that Sowore had consistently appeared for proceedings whenever required of him, and described the demands as disproportionate.

The organisation went further, raising concerns that state institutions are being deployed to suppress dissent rather than to pursue justice. It called on the court to review the conditions in line with constitutional principles of fairness and the presumption of innocence.

Sowore is standing trial on cybercrime charges brought by the Department of State Services over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.” He has pleaded not guilty to the five-count charge since his arraignment in December 2025.

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The Department of State Services initially secured his arraignment on self-recognition bail. That arrangement collapsed on June 16, when Justice Umar revoked the bail and issued a bench warrant after Sowore failed to appear for the continuation of his trial.

Sowore had written to the court beforehand, citing a prior engagement in Lagos and requesting an adjournment. Prosecution counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the request, describing the absence as a delay tactic before securing the bail revocation.

Sowore voluntarily returned to court on June 22 to challenge the bench warrant and sought Justice Umar’s recusal from the case, alleging bias. The court dismissed the recusal application and ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending determination of his fresh bail request.

In delivering Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Umar acknowledged that Sowore had not waited to be arrested but returned to court on his own volition, a factor the judge said influenced the exercise of judicial discretion in his favour.

The case had already advanced to the defence stage before the disruption. The prosecution closed its case, after which Sowore filed a no-case submission, arguing the state failed to establish a prima facie case against him. The court dismissed that application and directed him to open his defence.

Reacting after Tuesday’s ruling, Sowore insisted the bail conditions would not deter his activism, describing the requirements as part of continued efforts to restrict his movement. He vowed his advocacy would continue regardless of the restrictions placed on him.

Justice Umar handed Sowore over to his lawyers following the ruling and adjourned the matter to Monday, July 6, when the activist is expected to open his defence.