The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order on Monday following proceedings in a case filed against Sowore by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The activist is expected to remain in custody until Wednesday, June 24, 2026, when the matter is scheduled to continue.
The DSS charged Sowore with two counts of cybercrime, including alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation, over a social media post in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in August 2025.
Sowore had refused to remove the posts from his social media platforms, arguing that doing so would violate his right to freedom of expression.
In May 2026, Justice Umar dismissed Sowore’s application seeking to terminate the charges, ruling that the DSS had established a prima facie case that required him to open his defence.
The development followed an earlier decision by Sowore’s legal team to withdraw from the case after complaints over what they described as the treatment of his lawyers during proceedings.
Sowore later chose to represent himself and filed an application accusing the judge of bias, but the court dismissed the request on Monday.
The court had earlier revoked his bail after he failed to appear for a scheduled continuation of his defence on June 16, 2026, leading to the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest.
The prosecution accused Sowore of using his absence from court as a tactic to delay proceedings, while the activist argued that he had attended a previous sitting but the judge was unavailable.
The Federal Government’s case is based on provisions of Section 24 of the amended Cybercrimes Act, 2024, with prosecutors alleging that the statement made by Sowore was false and capable of causing public disorder.
Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the charges and continues to maintain that his comments were protected under his constitutional right to free speech.
The case is expected to continue on June 24, 2026, when further legal proceedings will take place.
