Omoyele Sowore
By Olayiwola Mercy
The Nigeria Police Force has denied making fresh charges against activist Omoyele Sowore, claiming his detention is due to his failure to meet bail conditions from a previous case. Sowore was arrested after attending the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and was granted bail with a N500,000 sum by a magistrate court in Abuja.
According to the police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, Sowore wasn’t arrested on new charges but was remanded in prison pending when he meets his bail conditions as pronounced by the court. Hundeyin explained that no prison would accept such a person without a remand warrant duly issued by a competent court. He stated that Sowore was taken to prison as instructed on the attached remand warrant pending when he meets his bail conditions, nothing more.
The police initially arrested Sowore over allegations of inciting police mutiny by leading a protest demanding improved welfare and pensions for police officers. He was later released after spending two days in custody, with his arm in a sling due to an injury sustained during the arrest. Sowore’s lawyer has argued that his client’s continued detention is unjustified, given the court’s grant of bail. The police, however, maintain that Sowore’s detention is lawful and that he needs to fulfill the bail conditions to secure his release.
