Lawyer Condemns Police Over “Lawless” Re-Arrest Attempt of Omoyele Sowore at Court
By Passman Akpos
Abuja — Human rights lawyer Tope Temokun has condemned what he described as a “lawless” and “unconstitutional” action by the Nigeria Police Force following the reported re-arrest attempt of activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore within the premises of a court in Abuja.
In a statement released on Saturday after his return from Kuje Prison, Temokun confirmed that Sowore was in stable condition and had received medical treatment at the prison clinic following injuries allegedly sustained during a police attack at the court on Friday.
> “Omoyele Sowore was fine after being treated yesterday at the clinic there and given anti-tetanus pills for the wounds he sustained from the police attack yesterday within the precincts of the court,” Temokun said.
According to him, Sowore had been granted bail by a magistrate earlier in the day and was in the process of perfecting his bail conditions when police officers, who had reportedly laid siege to the court since morning, stormed the premises to seize him again.
Temokun criticized the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, for attempting to justify what he called “police misbehavior” through official statements.
> “The position is very clear and simple: Omoyele Sowore stood before the court, was given bail, met the bail conditions, and the magistrate who granted bail was yet to sign. Yet, the police, who had laid siege on the court since early morning, stormed the court premises to abduct Omoyele Sowore again,” he said.
The lawyer further narrated that after the public outcry over the police action, officers diverted Sowore to Kuje Prison, where he was initially rejected due to improper documentation before being eventually admitted.
Temokun argued that once a court grants bail, custodial authority rests solely with the judiciary and the Nigerian Correctional Service, not the police.
> “What the police did yesterday was not enforcing the law, but assaulting it,” he said. “For the Police PRO to attempt to justify the lawless behaviour of their men is most irresponsible. To say it was not a re-arrest but submitting him to custodial authorities is a sheer show of ignorance or mischief.”
He warned that such actions undermine the sanctity of the courts and threaten the rule of law in Nigeria.
> “The matter here is not just about Sowore. It’s about the potency of our law — whether the court’s process or its orders still have any meaning to the police in this country. But we refuse to bow!” he declared.
As of press time, the police authorities had yet to issue a fresh statement responding to the allegations raised by Temokun.
