Justice Mohammed S. Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday granted human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, bail on self-recognition and warned him to refrain from comments that could spark public outrage against President Bola Tinubu.
The bail ruling followed Sowore’s arraignment by the Department of State Services on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.
The activist was accused of making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media handles. He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read.
At the start of proceedings, Sowore’s counsel, Marshall Abubakar, challenged the competence of the suit, arguing a lack of jurisdiction.
The prosecution said it had only just been served on Monday morning and asked for time to respond.
Delivering a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the jurisdictional objection could not proceed the same day, adding that the prosecution deserved adequate time to file a counter-affidavit.
Sowore’s counsel then applied for bail after the defendant entered his not-guilty plea. The prosecution opposed the bail request, claiming the activist posed a flight risk.
But the court ruled otherwise, granting bail on self-recognition and adjourning the matter to January 19, 2026, for trial.
Recall that in September, the Bola Tinubu administration initiated legal action against Sowore following claims of unconstitutional censorship on his social platforms, including those maintained under Meta Platforms and 𝕏.
His lawyers said the lawsuit challenges “unconstitutional censorship” on his accounts and raises wider debate on freedom of speech for all Nigerians.
Human rights lawyer, Barrister Tope Temokun, said the case was not just about deleting accounts or inflating opinions, but the stability of citizenship rights.
He said, “If state agencies can dictate to global platforms who may speak and what may be said, no Nigerian is safe. Censorship of political criticism is alien to democracy.”
He cited the Constitution directly, saying, “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Section 39, guarantees freedom of expression without interference. No agency, no matter how powerful, can suspend or delete those rights.”
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