A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a Sowore arrest warrant after activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, failed to appear for the continuation of his trial over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media posts about President Bola Tinubu.
The order was issued by Justice Mohammed Umar during proceedings on Tuesday after the defendant was absent from court despite being scheduled to open his defence. Sowore had earlier chosen to represent himself after members of his legal team withdrew from the case.
Although he did not attend the hearing, he reportedly sent a letter to the court explaining that he had travelled to Lagos in search of lawyers who could take over his defence. Following an application by the Department of State Services, the court revoked his bail and issued the Sowore arrest warrant.
Before the latest development, Sowore had filed an application requesting that Justice Umar withdraw from the case and transfer the matter to the Chief Judge for reassignment. The activist argued that he could no longer receive a fair hearing before the judge, citing what he described as judicial bias and referencing an earlier incident in which one of his lawyers was allegedly ordered to kneel before the court.
According to him, his legal representatives became unwilling to continue with the matter because of what they considered humiliating treatment and the court’s decision to conduct proceedings on a day-to-day basis. He informed the court that he would temporarily represent himself until a new legal team could be assembled.
Sowore was arraigned on December 2, 2025, in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 and pleaded not guilty to two counts of alleged cybercrime offences. The charges stem from social media posts published on August 25, 2025, in which he described President Tinubu as a “criminal” while reacting to remarks made by the president during a visit to Brazil regarding corruption in Nigeria.
Prosecutors alleged that the posts violated provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
According to the prosecution, the statements were intentionally published to damage the president’s reputation and potentially cause a breakdown of law and order. The DSS said it had previously written to social media platforms X and Meta, requesting the removal of the posts and seeking action against the accounts involved.
The agency also reportedly directed Sowore to delete the content from his platforms. Authorities alleged that his refusal to comply with those requests led to the criminal charges currently before the court.
The issuance of the Sowore arrest warrant marks a new phase in the high-profile case, with the court expected to determine the next course of action once the defendant is brought before it.
The trial continues to attract public attention because of its implications for freedom of expression, cybercrime enforcement and political discourse in Nigeria.
