Human rights activist and #FreeNnamdiKanuNow campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, was re-arrested by the Nigerian Police shortly after his appearance at the Kuje Magistrate Court on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, the court, presided over by Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id, granted them bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with two sureties residing in the Federal Capital Territory, possessing valid identification, and a three-year tax clearance.
The defendants were also directed to submit their international passports.
Others granted bail are Emmanuel Kanu, Joshua Emmanuel, Wilson Anyalewechi, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma, and Chima Onuchukwu.
Sowore was arrested by police on Thursday shortly after leaving the premises of the federal high court in Abuja.
He was arrested for leading the #FreeNnamdiKanu protest to “restricted areas” in Abuja.
Some moments after the court ruling, despite meeting the bail conditions, Sowore was reportedly picked up again and whisked away by police officers to Kuje Prison shortly after the proceedings.
He is expected to be arraigned on Monday, October 27.
Speaking on the development, Tope Temokun, the counsel to Sowore, claimed that the police officers “descended violently upon” the activist in a bid to “abduct” him.
Temokun said the police have no legal justification to take Sowore to an “unknown destination”.
“After the court had freely and honorably granted bail to human rights defender Omoyele Sowore on liberal terms, a detachment of police officers, led by CSP Iliyasu, OC Anti Vice, State Command CID, invaded the court premises in a display of raw impunity and disdain for the rule of law,” the lawyer said.
“They descended violently upon Omoyele Sowore and those present and, in the full glare of the public, abducted Sowore and whisked him away.
“In the course of standing up against this brazen illegality, I and others were physically assaulted; I sustained injuries and my bib was blood-stained in the chaos that ensued.
“The officers, in a most unruly and undisciplined manner, rough-handled Sowore away and whisked him away. Let it be known that Sowore was not taken to prison.”