Sowore Alleges Assault, Secret Transfer After Police Detention Sparks Uproar
By IDNN Human Rights & Legal Desk
Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and publisher of Sahara Reporters, was detained on Wednesday after voluntarily honoring a police invitation at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja.
According to his legal team, Sowore was served two petitions during the interrogation session—one alleging forgery, and the second reportedly written by Assistant Commissioner of Police Bukola Yemisi Kuti, accusing him of criminal defamation.
The petitions were presented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akin Fakorede, a controversial ex-officer linked to the defunct SARS unit.
Allegation of Assault and Covert Relocation
In a shocking development, sources confirmed that at around 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, a senior police officer associated with the Force PRO’s office allegedly broke Sowore’s hand during a forced transfer to an undisclosed location.
“He resisted being taken out of the cell without clothes. That’s when his hand was broken. Then he was moved secretly,” a source familiar with the incident told Sahara Reporters (Source).
As of press time, Sowore’s exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Movement Warns of Mass Resistance
The Take-It-Back Movement, founded by Sowore, has condemned the detention as a gross abuse of power and warned of nationwide protests if the activist is not released unconditionally.
“We’re putting all Nigerians on notice. We will occupy police stations across the country if this travesty continues,” said Juwon Sanyaolu, National Coordinator of the movement.
AAC Raises Alarm: Threat to Democracy
AAC’s Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, described the incident as part of a larger pattern of state intimidation against dissenting voices.
“This is beyond Sowore. It’s about silencing anyone who speaks truth to power,” he said.
The party also warned that peaceful protests would escalate if law enforcement agencies continue operating with “impunity under political protection.”
Legal Questions Surround IGP’s Role
Sowore’s legal counsel previously flagged the police invitation as legally defective, arguing that the use of “inciting disturbance” as a charge was not recognised under Nigerian law.
He also noted that the petitions originated from what he called “an illegal office within the Inspector-General of Police’s structure.”
Background: History of State Harassment
This isn’t Sowore’s first brush with Nigerian law enforcement. In 2019, he was arrested and detained for several months by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the #RevolutionNow protest movement—a case that drew global condemnation from Amnesty International and the UN.
Observers fear the current incident may signal a renewed crackdown on activism, especially with the 2027 elections looming.
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