A federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to activist Omoyele Sowore on self-recognition following his arraignment on charges of alleged cybercrime. Sowore, accused of making derogatory remarks about President Bola Tinubu on social media, pleaded not guilty. The court adjourned the case to January 2026.
On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Justice Mohammed Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court granted bail to Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in 2019. Sowore, also a publisher, was arraigned by the Department of State Services on a five-count charge related to alleged cybercrime, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025.
The charges accuse Sowore of contravening the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act by making derogatory remarks about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his social media handles, including calling the president a criminal. The other defendants listed are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.
During the proceedings, Sowore's counsel, Marshall Abubakar, filed a motion challenging the court's jurisdiction. The prosecution objected, noting they had been served the processes that morning and required time to respond. Justice Umar ruled that the objection was not ready for hearing and directed that the charges be read to Sowore, who then pleaded not guilty.
Abubakar applied for bail on self-recognition, which the prosecution opposed, arguing Sowore posed a flight risk. In his ruling, Justice Umar granted the bail on self-recognition but cautioned Sowore to refrain from any utterances that could incite the public against President Tinubu. The matter was adjourned to January 19, 2026, for trial.
This case highlights ongoing tensions around free speech and cyber regulations in Nigeria, with Sowore's activism often placing him at odds with authorities.