Activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has been granted bail of ₦200 million and two sureties in like sum.
The bail was granted by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar. According to the court, one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community. The other surety must own a property in Abuja. Mr. Sowore is to deposit his travel documents with the deputy registrar of the court.
Recall that in December, the court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, granted Sowore bail on self-recognizance after his arraignment by the Department of State Services on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime. As part of the bail conditions, the judge cautioned him against making statements capable of inciting the public against President Bola Tinubu.
Sowore is standing trial over charges filed by the DSS following a comment in which he described President Tinubu as “a criminal.”
Also Read: Court directs Sowore to stay in custody till June 30
However, on June 16, Justice Umar revoked Sowore’s bail after he failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial. The judge also issued a bench warrant for his arrest after neither the activist nor his legal representatives were physically present during the proceedings.
Before the hearing, Sowore had written to the court explaining that he would be unable to attend because of a pre-scheduled engagement in Lagos and requested an adjournment.
The DSS prosecution team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the request, describing Sowore’s absence as a “delay tactic.” The prosecution then made an oral application for the revocation of his bail, which the court granted.
Following the issuance of the bench warrant, Sowore voluntarily returned to court on June 22, 2026, to challenge the order and seek Justice Umar’s recusal from the case. However, the court dismissed the recusal application and ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his fresh bail application.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Umar granted Sowore’s fresh bail application and restored his bail, subject to the fulfilment of the conditions set by the court.
NAIJA NEWS
