Nigeria: Court Remands Sowore in Kuje Prison Days After Revoking Bail

The judge ordered Mr Sowore's remand in prison in Abuja days after earlier revoking the activist's bail for failing to appear in court on one occasion.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

In a short ruling, Judge Mohammed Umar ordered Mr Sowore to be held in the correctional centre pending the hearing and determination of his motion to stay the order revoking his bail and bench warrant.

The judge also dismissed Mr Sowore's earlier application seeking the judge's recusal from the case on the grounds of alleged bias.

The judge then adjourned the matter until Wednesday (24 June) for hearing of the application for stay.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant's new lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), filed the motion for stay.

NAN earlier reported that Mr Sowore, also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, arrived at the court accompanied by members of his group holding placards.

On 16 June, Mr Umar revoked the bail he earlier granted Mr Sowore for being absent from court for his trial.

Mr Umar, in a ruling on an oral application made by the prosecution lawyer, Akinkolu Kehinde, a SAN, also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The State Security Service (SSS) is prosecuting Mr Sowore for allegedly making false claims against President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as "a criminal" in social media posts he made on his "X" and Facebook accounts last year.

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