Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore be returned to Kuje prison while the court decides on his request for bail.
The judge fixed June 30 for ruling on Sowore’s application seeking the restoration of his bail and the cancellation of a bench warrant issued against him.
The matter was adjourned on Wednesday after both sides adopted their court processes.
The court had earlier, on June 16, revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for trial in a case involving alleged cybercrime and criminal defamation.
The Department of State Services is prosecuting Sowore over claims that he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts on his official X and Facebook accounts. Sowore has pleaded not guilty.
At Wednesday’s hearing, defence lawyer R.O. Adakole, alongside C.S. Etonyeaku, who represented Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), told the court that Sowore filed a motion dated June 17 and submitted on June 19, 2026.
The application sought 12 reliefs, including setting aside the June 16 order revoking his bail, cancelling the bench warrant, and restoring his previous bail conditions.
The defence said it relied on a 34-paragraph affidavit by Emmanuel Larry and a written address. Counsel also told the court that a “better” 36-paragraph affidavit by Sodiq Temitope was filed on June 24, along with a reply on points of law dated June 23.
Urging the court to grant the request, the defence said: “grant the application as prayed in the interest of justice. We also urge the court to discountenance the affidavit of the complainant.”
In response, prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) said the Federal Government filed a 25-paragraph counter-affidavit and written address opposing the application.
“We shall be relying on the aforementioned processes, urging your Lordship to refuse the application, as the applicant has not placed truthful facts before this honourable court that are capable of swaying the mind of the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the applicant,” Kehinde said.
After hearing both sides, Justice Umar adjourned the case until June 30, 2026, for ruling.
The defence later asked that Sowore be released to his legal team pending the ruling, citing concerns about his health. The prosecution opposed the request as “a little bit absurd” and also referred to “the optics of the matter.”
Justice Umar rejected the application, saying granting it would defeat the purpose of the adjournment, and ordered that Sowore be brought back to court on June 30 for the ruling.
