Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - A chaotic standoff erupted outside the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday morning, June 24, 2026, after security operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) were accused of blocking legal representatives and key associates of activist Omoyele Sowore from accessing the courtroom.
The confrontation escalated when the National Secretary of
the African Action Congress (AAC), Oshiok Philip, vocally confronted armed
DSS operatives. Philip accused the secret police of unconstitutional conduct
after they heavily restricted movement and prevented a member of Sowore’s legal
team from entering the premises ahead of the morning session.
Philip argued directly with the operatives, stating
that the courtroom is a public space under the Nigerian Constitution and warned
that blocking the public and legal counsel severely undermines democratic norms.
The incident follows a highly contentious week in the
ongoing cybercrime trial brought against Sowore by the DSS. The state is
prosecuting the activist—who was the AAC's presidential candidate—over social
media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook where he allegedly referred to
President Bola Tinubu as "a criminal.
On June 16, 2026, Justice Mohammed Umar revoked Sowore's
bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after Sowore failed to appear in
court.
Sowore had previously written to the court registry
explaining that he was present the day before but was told the court would not
sit, subsequently requesting a new date. However, the prosecution opposed any
adjournment, leading the judge to revoke his bail due to his absence.
Sowore had also filed an application asking Justice Umar to
recuse himself from the trial, citing alleged bias. During the Monday court
session, the judge dismissed this application.
Consequently, the court ordered that Sowore be kept at the
Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of a new motion
filed by his legal team, which seeks to stay (suspend) the execution of the
bail revocation and the bench warrant.
The matter is currently being heard today, June 24, 2026, to
address this application for a stay of the remand order.
Watch the video below:
Drama in Abuja Court as AAC secretary confronts DSS officers for blocking SOWORE's lawyers from entering the courtroom (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/FLQUC3cu9x
— DAILY POST 🇳🇬 (@dailypost_ng) June 24, 2026
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