Activist and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore has been remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre over an alleged cybercrime charge. The Federal High Court in Abuja made the order on 16 June 2026 after Sowore failed to appear for the continuation of his trial, in a case that has drawn intense political attention across Nigeria.
Why Sowore was remanded
Trial judge Mohammed Umar revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a warrant for his arrest after he was absent from court, where he was expected to begin presenting his defence. The judge ordered that the activist remain in custody pending the resumption of proceedings. The court also dismissed an earlier application by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal on grounds of alleged bias, allowing the trial to continue.
The charge against him
The case stems from a charge brought by the Department of State Services, which accused Sowore of cybercrime in connection with a social media post in which he described President Bola Tinubu in derogatory terms. Sowore, a long-standing critic of successive governments, has consistently maintained his innocence and framed the prosecution as an attempt to silence dissent. The allegations have not been tested to conclusion in court.
Reactions to the ruling
The remand order triggered strong reactions from rights groups and Sowore’s supporters, some of whom called for his release and questioned the conduct of the case. The activist himself said his absence was due to legal consultations rather than an attempt to evade trial. Viorah TV is reporting the court’s actions and the responses around them without taking a position on the merits of the case.
What happens next
The court adjourned the matter for the continuation of trial later in June, meaning Sowore is expected to remain in custody until proceedings resume. As with any criminal case, the outcome rests with the court, and the charge remains an allegation until proven. Observers say the case will be watched closely given Sowore’s profile and the political backdrop surrounding it.
The wider context
Sowore is a long-time activist who rose to national prominence as a campaigner and publisher, and has run for president in past elections. Over the years he has faced repeated arrests and court cases, often linked to his outspoken criticism of those in power, and he has consistently cast such actions as attempts to muzzle dissent. His latest remand has reignited a broader debate in Nigeria about how cybercrime and public-order laws are applied to government critics. Civil-society groups have long argued that broadly worded statutes can be used to target speech, while authorities maintain that nobody is above the law and that charges must be answered in court. The case therefore sits at the intersection of two contested questions: the limits of free expression online and the independence of the justice system. Whatever the eventual verdict, the proceedings are likely to be closely watched by rights organisations, opposition figures and ordinary Nigerians who follow Sowore’s frequent confrontations with the state, given how often his cases become flashpoints in the national conversation.
For now, the immediate development is the remand order and the revoked bail. Viorah TV will continue to follow the trial and report the court’s decisions as they are made.
