THE FORCED DETENTION AND ASSAULT OF OMOYELE SOWORE IN POLICE CUSTODY
Our attention has been drawn to an extremely disturbing incident involving the treatment of Mr. Omoyele Sowore while in police custody.
At 06:00 hours on Thursday, 7 August 2025, a police unit led by a Chief Superintendent from the IGP Monitoring Unit entered Mr. Sowore’s cell at the Force Intelligence Department, Abuja.
The team—comprising nine officers, eight of them armed—claimed they were taking him to court.
Upon his lawful request to see the charges against him and contact his legal counsel, Mr. Sowore was physically assaulted. The attack resulted in a fractured arm, after which he was moved to an unknown destination, without transparency or due process.
This action occurred just one day after Mr. Sowore had been invited by the same IGP Monitoring Unit on Wednesday, 6 August, yet was denied access to a copy of the complaint or petition(s) against him.
These acts do not stand in isolation.
Only two weeks ago, Mr. Sowore led nationwide protests by retired police officers demanding fair pension entitlements. Prior to that, he spearheaded the #EgbetokunMustGo campaign, which publicly challenged the legality of the tenure extension of the current Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and called attention to the IGP’s abuse of office.
We at the Amilcar Cabral Ideological School Movement (ACIS-M) are convinced that these recent attacks constitute politically motivated persecution. The timing, the denial of access to legal defense, the physical assault, and the secretive transfer are all markers of intent to intimidate and silence Mr. Omoyele Sowore.
We are equally convinced that this is not only a violation of Mr. Sowore’s rights, it is a litmus test for every Nigerian’s freedom. It is a direct assault on Sections 35 and 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee the rights to personal liberty, legal representation, and protection from inhuman treatment.
If left unchallenged, this incident will embolden lawless actors within state institutions, reinforce the use of violence as a tool of governance, and erode what remains of public trust in our democratic and legal systems.
ACIS-M demands the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Omoyele Sowore.
We further call for:
- A transparent and immediate investigation into the actions of all officers involved;
- Prompt and independent medical care for Mr. Sowore;
- Firm assurances that legal and constitutional norms will guide all further proceedings.
The conduct of the Nigerian Police must be reviewed not only in light of this event, but as a systemic issue affecting civil liberties, press freedom, and public accountability.
We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society actors, and defenders of democratic norms to resist this injustice and demand full accountability.
SIGNED:
Majekodunmi O. Ebhohon
National Youth Coordinator, ACIS-M
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