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A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the charges filed against former presidential candidate and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore by the former Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
As reported by Tribune, Sowore had filed an application through his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, requesting that the case be dismissed for lack of diligent prosecution. The court agreed, noting that the police had failed to actively pursue the matter.
During proceedings on Tuesday, the prosecution sought a short adjournment to allow the lead counsel to personally handle the case. The defence opposed the request, insisting that the charges be struck out due to inaction.
In his ruling, Justice Musa Liman observed that the police had not moved the prosecution forward since Sowore’s arraignment in January 2025.
He also pointed out that this delay violated Section 351 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
“The charge FHC/ABJ/CR/23/2025 is struck out and accordingly dismissed,” Justice Liman declared, formally ending the case against the activist.
The original charge, dated January 28, 2025, listed the former IGP as the complainant and Sowore as the sole defendant.
It alleged that Sowore, through his verified X handle account, published messages against the Inspector General of Police, referring to him as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun,” and that these statements were false and intended to incite public disorder.
Some counts of the charge read:
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun’. This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.”
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally and knowingly caused the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG, containing threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force. By so doing, you committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024).”
“That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 20, 2024, intentionally and knowingly sent messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, stating: ‘The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.’ This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence.”
All the charges were brought under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
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