Activist Omoyele Sowore has regained his international passport after the Federal High Court struck out a cybercrime charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force over his social media posts about former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.
ENigeria Newspaper gathered that trial Judge Musa Liman ruled that the prosecution failed to pursue the case diligently since Sowore’s arraignment in January 2025. “The prosecution has not diligently pursued this case,” the judge said, striking out the charges for lack of diligent prosecution.
Sowore’s legal team opposed the police request to adjourn proceedings to replace its lawyer, urging the court to dismiss the case. The police later sought to relist the charges but withdrew their motion in open court, effectively bringing the criminal trial to a close. The activist’s passport, which had been surrendered as part of his bail conditions, was released through his lawyers.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Sowore described the day’s events as troubling.
“Today was a revealing and deeply troubling day. I returned to court following Justice Musa Liman’s decision, which had earlier struck out the cybercrime case brought against me,” he wrote on Facebook.
He alleged that police officials, including Assistant Commissioner Bukola Kuti and Assistant Inspector General Emmanuel Ade Aina, attempted to file an ex parte motion to relist the case, calling it “an attempt to reopen proceedings that had already been terminated.”
Sowore also noted delays in accessing certified copies of the ruling and his passport despite repeated applications by his legal team led by Marshal Abubakar.
“When communities understand the risks and know how to respond, this step can be drastically improved,” he added, highlighting the hurdles his team faced in enforcing the court’s earlier decisions.
Recall that ENigeria Newspaper reported that the charges stemmed from social media posts in which Sowore allegedly described Egbetokun as an “illegal IGP” and criticised the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force. The police claimed that Sowore knowingly made false statements intended to cause a “breakdown of law and order” and charged him with 17 counts under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (amended 2024). Sowore dismissed the case as politically motivated, describing it as “an attempt to criminalise free expression.”
The IGP at the centre of the controversy, Kayode Egbetokun, had extended his stay in office beyond the statutory retirement age of 60 in 2024 following a controversial amendment to the Nigeria Police Act, assented to by President Bola Tinubu. He resigned last month.
Sowore was initially detained after responding to a police invitation linked to a video he posted alleging extortion by officers at a Lagos checkpoint. He described the charges as “ridiculous” and maintained that his posts were legitimate commentary on public officials.
