Justice Musa Suleiman Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Omoyele Sowore, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in the amount of N10 million, with one surety of the same amount.
The court ruled that the surety must have verified landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while the applicant, Sowore, must deposit his passport with the court and provide an affidavit of means.
Additionally, the applicant was granted a 24-hour extension to fulfill the terms of the bail.
Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, has requested an extension of time to enable the applicant to perfect the bail conditions.
The court initially adjourned the ruling on the bail application to Thursday, January 30, 2025, and Sowore was accompanied by his legal team to the courthouse, where he was met by a crowd of supporters.
The supporters rallied outside the court, demanding his release and condemning the charges as politically motivated.
Sowore is facing 16 cybercrime charges filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, following his reference to the police chief as an “Illegal IG.”
He had been detained at the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office in Abuja after voluntarily honoring a police invitation. His detention came after his refusal to accept bail conditions set by the police.
During the court session, Sowore’s defense counsel, Abubakar Marshal, urged the court to grant bail on self-recognizance or under the most liberal terms, presenting evidence that Sowore had honored the police’s invitation in good faith. Marshal added that the complainant had acknowledged Sowore’s right to bail.
However, the prosecution, led by M.U. Jonathan, opposed the bail application, requesting its dismissal. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge adjourned the case to 1 pm on Thursday to issue a ruling on the bail request.
