The Nigeria Police Force has re-invited Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and human rights activist, for questioning over allegations of forgery and inciting disturbance. But Mr Sowore has given conditions to honour the police invitation for the meeting scheduled for today (Tuesday).
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Sowore was initially scheduled to appear before the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Abuja on 4 August, following a police invitation regarding a case the they said was reported on 31 July.
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However, the meeting was postponed due to the unavailability of the head of the unit, Deputy Commissioner of Police Akin Fakorede, according to a subsequent notice sent to Mr Sowore.
According to Mr Sowore’s post on Facebook, the postponement was communicated by the investigating officer, Hafiz Garba, who cited Mr Fakorede’s engagement in an “urgent national assignment” in the North-east.
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“Please be informed that your meeting with DCP Akin Fakorede… slated for Monday, 4th August 2025, has been postponed,” Mr Garba wrote. “This is due to the unavailability of the Head on that date… A new date will be fixed and you will be notified accordingly.”
Before the postponement, Mr Sowore had publicly declared his readiness to honour the invitation and called on supporters to accompany him to the police headquarters.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Sowore posted on his Facebook page that the police had reached out again, confirming Mr Fakorede’s return and requesting him to appear on Tuesday (later today) at 3:00 p.m.
But Mr Sowore stated that he would not comply without a legally valid invitation and a copy of the petition against him, describing the police’s earlier invitation as “invalid” and riddled with “legal fabrications.”
He pointed out that the original letter cited a non-existent offence — “INCITING DISTURBANCE” — and referenced Section 53(2) of the “ACJA 2025,” a law he says does not exist under Nigeria’s legal framework.
“Your initial invitation was invalidated by an alarming number of unknowns and legal fabrications,” he wrote.
“To begin with, the letter claimed I was being invited over an unknown offence… a term that exists nowhere in Nigerian criminal law.”
“Even more troubling, you cited Section 53(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2025. A version of the ACJA that does not exist.”
He insisted that before considering any further invitation, the police must provide a properly dated and signed official letter; and an advance copy of the petition or complaint that necessitated his appearance.
The police have not publicly responded to his statement or clarified the status of the invitation.
Background
The police invitation came less than two weeks after Mr Sowore’s active roles in the protest by retired police officers at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on 21 July.
The protest called for the removal of retirees from the Contributory Pension Scheme and demanded improved welfare benefits.
During the protest, Mr Sowore alleged that a police officer stole his Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses — a claim he repeated in multiple posts between 23 and 26 July.
He later named the alleged culprit as Aku Victor Chiemere, said to be a police cameraman attached to the office of the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
He submitted a formal complaint at the Asokoro Police Division, after a prior petition by his lawyer to the Force Criminal Investigation Department was redirected.
The police have not responded publicly to the theft allegation.
Sowore’s running battle
The recent developments are the latest episodes in Mr Sowore’s continual run-ins with the police.
Mr Sowore, a critic of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has repeatedly referred to him as the “Illegal IGP” — a reference to the tenure extension the Nigerian police chief got last year.
The tenure extension followed a controversial amendment to the Police Act that extended Mr Egbetokun’s tenure beyond the statutory retirement age.
In January, the police filed 17 cybercrime-related charges against Mr Sowore over those remarks.
He denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
He has also continued to rally support for a follow-up protest by retired officers later this month.
In the last four to five years, Mr Sowore has been detained by the police for different reasons.
