The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate remand of human rights activist and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the continuation of his trial on cybercrime charges brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Mohammed Umar issued the remand order on Monday after dismissing an application filed by Sowore seeking the judge’s disqualification from the case over allegations of bias.
The court directed that Sowore remain in custody until June 24, 2026, when proceedings are expected to resume.
The activist is facing a two-count charge bordering on alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation arising from social media posts he made in August 2025 in which he described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal” over comments linked to the President’s trip to Brazil.
According to the prosecution, the posts, which were published on X and Facebook, violated provisions of Section 24 of the amended Cybercrimes Act, 2024. The Federal Government argues that the statements were knowingly false and deliberately intended to incite public disorder.
Sowore has consistently denied the allegations and maintains a plea of not guilty.
The legal battle has witnessed several dramatic developments over the past months. In May 2026, Justice Umar rejected an application seeking the dismissal of the charges after ruling that the DSS had established a prima facie case against the defendant, thereby requiring him to open his defence.
The case took another turn on June 5 when Sowore’s legal team withdrew from the proceedings following a court directive ordering daily trial hearings. The activist subsequently chose to represent himself, claiming that his lawyers had been subjected to humiliation during the proceedings.
Sowore also filed a motion seeking the recusal of Justice Umar from the case, alleging judicial bias. However, the court dismissed the application on Monday, clearing the way for the trial to continue before the same judge.
The remand order follows a bench warrant earlier issued by the court after Sowore failed to appear for the continuation of his defence on June 16. During that sitting, prosecutors argued that his absence was part of a deliberate effort to frustrate and delay the trial.
The prosecution described the absence as a “delay tactic” and urged the court to take action, prompting Justice Umar to revoke Sowore’s self-recognition bail and order his arrest.
Sowore, however, disputed the allegation, insisting that he had appeared in court on June 15 for the scheduled hearing only to discover that the judge was absent without prior notice.
Monday’s ruling effectively places the activist in custody as the court prepares to resume hearing his defence later this week.
The case has continued to attract significant public attention, with supporters of the activist describing the charges as an attack on free speech, while the prosecution insists the matter concerns alleged violations of Nigeria’s cybercrime laws.
With Sowore now remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, attention will shift to Wednesday’s proceedings, where the court is expected to continue hearing the defence in a case that could have far-reaching implications for free expression, cybercrime enforcement and political dissent in Nigeria.
