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By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday warned that it would revoke the bail earlier granted to Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, if he makes any further comments deemed inciting or capable of threatening national peace and security.
Justice Mohammed Umar issued the warning while ruling on Sowore’s bail application following his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The judge restrained the activist from making statements considered detrimental to national unity.
Justice Umar noted that Sowore, a former presidential candidate and previous beneficiary of bail granted by the court—whose international passport remains in the court’s custody—was entitled to bail on self-recognition.
Our Correspondent recalls that the DSS accused Sowore of making false claims against President Bola Tinubu by describing him as “a criminal” on his X and Facebook pages.
In the five-count charge, the DSS listed Sowore as the 1st defendant, while X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc. were joined as the 2nd and 3rd defendants.
When the case was called for plea-taking, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, challenged the competence of the charge, noting that a preliminary objection had been served on the prosecution moments before proceedings commenced. He argued that his client could not take a plea on an incompetent charge.
Prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the objection, insisting that the business of the day was Sowore’s arraignment.
He described the preliminary objection as a ploy to delay the trial, recalling that several adjournments in the past had been at the defendant’s instance. Citing Section 396(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, he argued that no application should be entertained before arraignment.
Lawyers representing X and Meta, including Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, did not oppose continuation of the proceedings. Justice Umar agreed with the prosecution and ordered the arraignment to proceed. Sowore pleaded not guilty to all five counts.
Following the plea, Kehinde requested a trial date, but Abubakar drew the court’s attention to the pending bail application filed on Aug. 18.
He urged the court to grant bail on self-recognition or on the most liberal terms, describing Sowore as a law-abiding citizen and two-time presidential candidate who had just been elected chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC). He assured the court that the defendant would stand trial and noted that the court already held his international passport.
Opposing the application, Kehinde said the prosecution had filed a 40-paragraph counter-affidavit. He argued that Sowore had previously violated court orders and failed to demonstrate that he would refrain from committing similar offences if granted bail. He urged the court to deny the request or, if inclined to grant it, to impose stringent conditions.
Counsel to X and Facebook did not oppose the bail request.
In his ruling, Justice Umar admitted Sowore to bail on self-recognition but barred him from making statements that undermine national unity or peace. He cautioned that any violation would lead to immediate revocation of the bail.
The judge adjourned the case to January 19, 2026, for commencement of trial.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
