Court Orders Sowore’s Remand in Kuje Correctional Centre Pending Bail Appeal

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of a motion challenging the revocation of his bail and a bench warrant issued for his arrest.

Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order in a brief ruling on Monday, directing that Sowore remain in custody until the determination of his application for a stay of execution of the earlier orders revoking his bail.

The court also dismissed an application filed by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias.

Following the ruling, Justice Umar adjourned the matter to June 24 for hearing of the motion seeking a stay of the order revoking the defendant’s bail and the bench warrant issued against him.

The motion was filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN.

Earlier, on June 16, the court had revoked the bail earlier granted to Sowore after he failed to appear in court for his trial. The court subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest following an oral application by counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN.

The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over alleged false claims against President Bola Tinubu, including a post on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts in which he reportedly referred to the President as “a criminal.”

The case is expected to continue on June 24 when the court hears the pending application.