Human rights campaigner and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has reportedly been arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Details surrounding the arrest remain unclear, but the development has already sparked outrage among civil rights advocates, who described the action as an attack on free speech and the rule of law.
Prominent human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, confirmed the incident in a post on X, expressing disappointment over what he termed “a continued pattern of political intimidation.”
According to Effiong, “The arrest of Sowore at the Federal High Court is a disgraceful act that undermines the judiciary and the principles of democracy. The police must release him without delay.”
He further accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of “using state power to silence dissenting voices instead of addressing pressing national issues.”
Before his arrest, Sowore had shared on Facebook that he was present at the court alongside senior lawyer Kanu Agabi, who leads the legal team representing the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In his post, Sowore revealed that Agabi informed him of the team’s plan to withdraw from Kanu’s case, which could potentially leave the separatist leader without legal representation.
As of press time, police authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding Sowore’s detention or the reasons behind it.
The incident has reignited conversations around press freedom, judicial independence, and the safety of activists in Nigeria.
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