Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to release his international passport to enable him to travel to the United States to visit his family and undergo a routine medical check-up.
Sowore, who is currently on bail, is facing a 16-count amended charge of cybercrime filed against him by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged defamatory statements made against him on social media.
Naijaonpoint reports that the activist was arraigned for allegedly referring to the IGP as an “illegal IGP” on his 𝕏 handle (formerly Twitter). He, however, pleaded not guilty, describing the case as a politically motivated witch-hunt.
Prior to his arraignment, Sowore was invited by the Force Criminal Investigation Department over a tweet deemed offensive by the police.
He was later granted bail on January 30, 2025, under stringent conditions, including a ₦10 million bond and the surrender of his passport. The court, however, stipulated that he must seek approval whenever he needed to travel abroad.
Court Questions Sowore’s Travel Documents
At a previous hearing, Justice Musa Liman noted that the court was not opposed to granting permission for Sowore to travel but required proper documentation as proof.
During the resumed sitting on Monday, Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshall, informed the court that the session was for the hearing of a motion seeking the temporary release of Sowore’s passport.
He explained that the request was to allow him travel to the U.S. to see his family and return by April for his trial.
However, tensions flared in court after Justice Liman asked Sowore to justify the request, expressing doubts over the authenticity of the travel documents submitted.
The judge specifically questioned why Sowore had not listed the names of his wife and children in the affidavits and why the flight ticket was missing key details, including the airline’s name.
The judge also found the format of the submitted e-ticket unfamiliar and raised concerns over a claim that the ticket was for a trip to Uganda instead of the U.S.
Sowore Clashes With Judge, Denies Fleeing Intentions
Expressing frustration, Sowore dismissed the judge’s stance as baseless, accusing the court of aligning with the prosecution’s weak arguments.
“My Lord, of course, I can speak for myself. I am a citizen of this country, and I’m the one on trial before you. If I cannot get justice from the court, then the court might as well throw me into jail,” he declared.
He further clarified that his travel ticket showed his point of departure as Lagos (LOS) and arrival at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD), not Uganda, as claimed by the police counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed.
Sowore also reaffirmed his commitment to returning to Nigeria, stating, “For your information, I will not run away from my country.”
Prosecution Opposes Request, Cites Insufficient Evidence
The police counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, urged the court to deny Sowore’s request, arguing that the application lacked sufficient evidence. He contended that a text message from Sowore’s doctor in the U.S. was informal and inadequate to justify his travel.
In response, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall, argued that a medical report was unnecessary since his client was not ill but only required a routine check-up.
He also stressed that Sowore had faced similar politically motivated charges in 2019 but did not flee the country despite the severity of those allegations.
After heated arguments from both sides, Justice Liman ruled that Sowore must provide a comprehensive medical history and a formal letter from his U.S. doctor to support his request.
The court adjourned the matter until Tuesday, March 4, 2025, for a ruling.