Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has regained his freedom after spending four days at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Sowore was arrested alongside Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,Nnamdi Kanu, as well as Emmanuel Kanu who’s Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother and 11 other protesters.
The group was picked up during a peaceful demonstration held in Abuja last week, under the banner of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaign, which demanded the release of the IPOB leader currently held by the Department of State Services.
Eyewitnesses said the protesters, who were chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards, were dispersed by police operatives, who later whisked several of them away.
They were arraigned on Friday, October 24, 2025, before a Magistrate Court in Kuje, presided over by Magistrate Abubakar Sai’id, on charges of unlawful assembly and public disturbance.
In his ruling, Magistrate Sai’id granted bail to all 14 defendants in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with conditions including:
Presentation of a verified National Identification Number,
Submission of a three-year tax clearance certificate, and
Deposit of their international passports with the court.
After fulfilling the bail requirements, Sowore and the other detained protesters were released from custody on Monday, October 27, 2025.
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Confirming his release in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sowore wrote:
“HAPPENING NOW: Leaving Kuje Prison in Abuja after being detained there illegally for four days by @officialABAT illegal IGP, Kayode Egbetokun. #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.”
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and longtime democracy advocate, has frequently criticized the Nigerian government’s handling of dissent and civic protests.
He described his arrest as another example of what he called the government’s “shrinking tolerance for free expression.”
Sowore has faced multiple arrests in the past for organizing demonstrations demanding transparency, good governance, and respect for human rights.
His release comes amid renewed public debate over freedom of assembly and the government’s approach to peaceful protests, particularly those linked to politically sensitive causes like Nnamdi Kanu’s detention.
