Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was allegedly assaulted by eight police officers on Thursday morning while in custody at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja.
According to a source familiar with the incident, the officers—led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP)—entered Sowore’s cell around 6 a.m. with plans to move him to court. Sowore reportedly refused to leave without his lawyers present and requested access to his clothes. The officers then allegedly used force, resulting in injuries, including a suspected fracture to his right hand.
“They pounced on him because he insisted on seeing his lawyers and changing into proper clothes before leaving the cell,” the source said. “They broke his hand in the process. The operation was carried out by a unit from the IGP Monitoring Unit, allegedly led by DCP Akin Fakorede, with the CSP reportedly reporting to Force PRO Muyiwa Adejobi.”
Sowore had been detained at the FID on Wednesday after honouring an invitation from the police over a petition reportedly filed against him. He was accompanied by his lawyers and supporters when he arrived at Force Headquarters that afternoon. A visibly packed travel bag suggested that he had prepared for possible detention.
Shortly after his arrest, tensions escalated as supporters from the Take It Back Movement and other activist groups issued a two-hour ultimatum for his release.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sowore revealed that he was served two petitions while in custody—one alleging forgery and the other, criminal defamation. He claimed both documents originated from what he described as the “illegal office of the IGP.” One of the petitions was reportedly filed by Bukola Yemisi Kuti, a recently promoted Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) alleged to have personal ties to the Inspector General of Police.
The original police invitation had cited “inciting disturbance”—a charge Sowore’s legal team had earlier described as legally baseless and defective.
As of the time of reporting, the police have yet to release an official statement on the alleged assault or Sowore’s current whereabouts. The incident has sparked renewed criticism of what civil society groups describe as a pattern of intimidation and abuse of power against dissenting voices in Nigeria.
