There is growing unease across the country following reports that human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, was forcefully relocated by the police to an undisclosed location after a confrontation that allegedly left him injured.
Sowore, who had honored a police invitation on Wednesday, reportedly spent the night at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, arriving there with legal representation and a travel bag, suggesting he anticipated possible detention.
However, events took a troubling turn early Thursday morning when, around 6 am, officers from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) allegedly moved him without prior notice.
According to sources familiar with the incident, Sowore resisted being taken away without being allowed to change into his clothes, leading to a physical altercation during which he was reportedly injured.
“He refused to leave without wearing his clothes. The officer insisted on dragging him out, which led to a scuffle and his hand got broken in the process,” the source claimed.
The development sparked an outcry from civil society groups and rights organisations.
The Take It Back Movement, a group linked to Sowore, issued a two-hour ultimatum demanding his release, warning of nationwide protests if the authorities failed to comply.
While in custody, Sowore was reportedly confronted with two separate petitions.
One involved an allegation of forgery, and the other was a petition by Assistant Commissioner of Police Bukola Yemisi Kuti, accusing him of criminal defamation.
Sowore said the petitions were handed to him by DCP Akin Fakorede, a former SARS officer with a controversial background.
He dismissed the process as fundamentally flawed and politically motivated.
“The petitioners have ties to senior police officers,” Sowore posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, raising concerns about the neutrality of the investigation.
He also criticized the police invitation itself as “legally defective,” alleging it was part of a broader campaign of harassment and intimidation.
Several legal observers and human rights advocates have questioned the validity of the charges, especially the inclusion of “inciting disturbance”, a claim not recognized under Nigerian law.
Tope Temokun, a human rights lawyer, issued a scathing statement on August 7, describing the situation as “state terrorism” and likening it to past abuses suffered by prominent Nigerian figures under military rule.
“This is not law enforcement. This is state terrorism,” Temokun declared.
“It is a murder plot in disguise.”
According to him, Sowore’s right arm was dislocated during the forceful transfer, and a noxious chemical substance was allegedly released into his detention cell prior to his relocation.
Temokun also claimed that Sowore may have been moved to an underground holding facility, further raising alarm over his safety.
He compared the incident to the treatment of late activists Gani Fawehinmi and MKO Abiola during their incarcerations, warning the authorities that Sowore’s safety was now a matter of national and international concern.
“The Nigeria Police will be held accountable for any harm, physical or psychological, done to him,” Temokun said.
“There must be an immediate release and a public apology.”
Sowore’s encounter with the police comes amid heightened political tensions and ongoing debates over free speech, press freedom, and democratic participation.
As a prominent critic of government policy and a vocal advocate for systemic change, Sowore has frequently clashed with law enforcement and state institutions.
His reported injury and secretive relocation have only deepened existing fears of state overreach, especially as activists and legal experts warn of an erosion of civil liberties.
