Nigerian activist and former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has rejected the bail conditions set by the Nigerian police and chosen to remain in custody.
The conditions required Sowore to submit his passport and provide a Grade Level 17 civil servant, equivalent to a permanent secretary, as a surety.
Sowore had been summoned for questioning by the police over a viral video he posted, accusing officers of extortion at a checkpoint in Lagos.
In a statement on X, Sowore expressed his refusal to meet the bail requirements, stating he would remain in custody until the matter was resolved. He also criticised the police for relying on vague and unsubstantiated claims during their investigation, with no clear evidence of a crime.
“I have rejected a bail condition asking me to present a level 17 Permanent Secretary, instead I have offered to remain in police custody pending when the joke is over with,” he wrote.
Sowore had previously engaged with officers at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, where he refused to provide a written statement, insisting the allegations lacked substance.
Despite the police offering bail, Sowore maintained that he would not agree to conditions that compromised his dignity and integrity. He also vowed to continue his fight for justice, linking the case to his stance on the illegal extension of the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
“However, I am prepared to face any consequences. I made it clear to the team that the matter revolves around my publicly stated view that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who should left after retirement in 2024 and clearly tired, had his tenure extended illegally. I maintain that we are entering a promising year, and our fight for justice will persist,” he stated.
