Court lifts bail condition restricting Sowore’s movement to Abuja

 

A court of appeal in Abuja has voided a ruling restricting Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist, to Abuja.

 

On October 4, 2019, Ijeoma Ojukwu, judge of a federal high court, granted bail to Sowore to the tune of N100 million and two sureties in like sum, wherein one of the sureties was to deposit the sum of N50 million in the account of the court.

 

As part of the conditions, he was not to address any rally or public gathering and not to leave the FCT.

 

The court later varied the bail conditions, reducing the bond to N50 million after the defendant complained that the conditions were too stringent.

 

Dissatisfied, Sowore approached the court of appeal seeking to set aside the conditions that restricted him from addressing public gatherings and leaving the FCT.

 

Delivering judgment in the appeal on Wednesday, the appellate court held that the ruling restricting the activist to Abuja was excessive.

 

The court ruled that Sowore could now leave Abuja but not travel out of Nigeria.

 

The activist has declared his intention to run for president in 2023.

 

The activist is joining the presidential race for the second time after his first attempt in 2019.