- Safiu Kehinde
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has described his remand by the Federal High Court in Abuja as a sacrifice for the liberation of Nigerians from an evil regime.
NPO earlier Reported that the Federal High Court had ordered Sowore’s remand in Kuje Correctional centre.
Justice Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, gave the order on Monday, directing that Sowore be held in custody pending the hearing and determination of a motion seeking to stay the execution of earlier orders revoking his bail and issuing a bench warrant for his arrest.
Umar also dismissed an earlier application filed by the 2027 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate requesting the judge’s recusal from the case over alleged bias.
Addressing newsmen after the ruling, Sowore said he came prepared for the remand as he had foreseen the ruling.
He however maintained that the development occurred for reason, stressing that somebody must make sacrifice for the liberation of Nigeria.
“The court as you’re all aware of has laid an order when I was absent last week to revoke my bail and now, I’m to be sent to Kuje prison.
“But guess what, I came prepared. I brought my prison bag.
“Nobody should be surprised. I have predicted before now that all these things are going to happen.
“But they are happening for a good reason, and the reason is that somebody must make the sacrifice that will liberate this country.” He said.
Sowore vowed to continue mobilisation from his cell ahead of the 2027 General Election while claiming that Nigerians deserve his sacrifice.
“I’m going to prison to keep mobilizing our people so that this country can be liberated.
“I have no doubt that the end of the evil regime has come. I have no doubt that the Nigerian people deserve my sacrifice.
“I have no doubt that if they don’t do this now, they have to do it another time. This is a sacrifice I have started making since I was in students union.” He said.
Meanwhile, the court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 24 for hearing of the application for stay.
Recall that Justice Umar had on June 16 revoked his bail after ruling that he failed to appear for trial proceedings and 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 allegations of defaming President Bola Tinubu, following a post on his X and Facebook accounts in which he allegedly referred to the president as a “criminal.”