The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a lawsuit against activist Omoyele Sowore over statements he made on social media, referring to the police chief as an “illegal IG.”
Omoyele Sowore is facing three cybercrime-related charges under the amended Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2024. According to the suit (marked FCH/ABJ/23/25), the police allege that Sowore knowingly made false publications through his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, with the intent to incite public unrest and undermine the Nigeria Police Force.
One of the charges states that on December 13, 2024, Sowore called the IGP “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun,” while another count accuses him of making a post on December 20, 2024, predicting that the IGP’s actions would lead to another #EndSARS protest.
Omoyele Sowore, who was arrested on Monday after rejecting bail conditions—including surrendering his passport and securing a Level 17 civil servant as guarantor—is set to appear before Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja today (Wednesday).
His legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar, has confirmed that the charges will be contested in court, while political activist Deji Adeyanju has condemned the case as an abuse of legal process.
This development follows increasing tensions between Sowore and Nigerian authorities, particularly after a viral video he posted in December alleging police extortion at a checkpoint in Lagos.
Omoyele Sowore