Omoyele Sowore has secured his release from custody after the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the human rights’ activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate bail in the sum of ₦200 million with two sureties in like amount.
In the ruling delivered on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the court directed Sowore to surrender his international passport as part of the conditions attached to the bail.
The court further ordered that one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s home community, while the second must possess a verified landed property within the Federal Capital Territory.
The decision came after a tense morning at the court complex, where operatives of the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Correctional Service mounted heavy security around the premises.
Sowore had remained in custody since June 22, 2026, following a remand order issued by Justice Mohammed Umar over charges brought against him by the secret police for allegedly referring to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.
The heavy security presence ahead of the ruling sparked criticism after journalists covering the proceedings were initially denied access to the courtroom. Armed operatives reportedly sealed off the entrance, leaving members of the media waiting in the foyer despite earlier assurances that they would be allowed in before proceedings commenced.
“As I am chatting with you now, a few of us journalists are just standing by the foyer,” one journalist said during the standoff.
Another reporter added, “We are not allowed to enter the courtroom. DSS and prison officers blocked the courtroom. The security is heavy, and they are preventing journalists from entering.”
