Former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, has pleaded not guilty to a 17-count cybercrime charge brought against him by the Nigerian Police Force.
Sowore, who was arrested on Monday and detained at the Intelligence Response Team facility in Abuja, was arraigned before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court on Wednesday. His arrest followed allegations of obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking, and attempting to prevent arrests.
The charges, filed by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, stem from social media posts on Sowore’s verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, where he allegedly referred to Egbetokun as an “illegal IGP.”
One of the charges read:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle, ‘Omoyele Sowore,’ and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.’ This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.”
Additional counts allege that Sowore’s posts were aimed at inciting the public against the Nigeria Police Force and damaging the reputation of the IGP. One of the messages cited in the charge reads:
“The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.”
After pleading not guilty, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, submitted an application for bail.
Justice Liman adjourned proceedings until 3 p.m. for a ruling on the bail request.
