The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Mohammed Umar 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.
The judge also dismissed an earlier application filed by Sowore requesting the judge’s recusal from the case over alleged bias.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 24 for hearing of the application for stay.
According to court proceedings, the motion for stay was filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN.
Sowore, also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, had earlier appeared in court accompanied by supporters carrying placards.
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 Department of State Services 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.”