Activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has expressed confidence that the cybercrime case against him will not succeed after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his return to the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned proceedings until June 30, 2026.
The court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, fixed the new date for ruling on an application filed by the defence seeking to set aside a bench warrant issued against Sowore and the revocation of his bail.
Sowore’s lawyer, R.O. Adakonye, who appeared on behalf of senior advocate Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, told the court that the application became necessary following the defendant’s absence during proceedings on June 16.
The defence urged the court to reverse its earlier orders and restore the activist’s bail.
However, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), A.T. Kehinde (SAN), opposed the application, arguing that the court should maintain both the bench warrant and the order revoking Sowore’s bail.
After listening to submissions from both sides, Justice Umar adjourned the matter until June 30 for a ruling on the application.
The defence subsequently appealed to the court to release Sowore into the custody of his lawyers pending the next hearing. The request was rejected, with the judge directing that he be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Speaking shortly after the proceedings, Sowore criticized the development and insisted that the case against him was doomed to fail.
“I have been sent back to prison because the judge has not ruled on our application,” he told supporters and journalists outside the courtroom.
He questioned the delay in determining the application, noting that those prosecuting the case had repeatedly demanded accelerated proceedings.
“The ones who always come to court and say they want trial to commence day by day have now obtained an adjournment of almost a week,” he said.
According to him, the objective of the prosecution is to secure a conviction without allowing the matter to proceed fully through trial.
“The intention is to obtain a conviction without trial and imprisonment. I am very sure that this will fail like others have failed,” Sowore declared.
Despite being escorted back into custody, the activist remained defiant, assuring supporters that his detention would not weaken his resolve. He also led chants of “Revolution” as security personnel moved him away from the court premises.
The court had earlier revoked the bail granted to Sowore on self-recognition in December 2025 after he failed to appear for proceedings. Before revoking the bail, Justice Umar directed him to open his defence in the case.
The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over alleged cybercrime offences linked to posts he made on his X and Facebook accounts in August 2025. The agency alleges that the posts, in which he reportedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal,” contravene provisions of Nigeria’s cybercrime laws.
Sowore has consistently challenged the allegations and maintained that the charges are politically motivated.
The case continues to attract attention from civil society organisations, lawyers and political observers, many of whom view the proceedings as a significant test of free speech and digital rights in Nigeria.
