The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday granted bail to activist and African Action Congress, AAC, presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, after revoking an earlier “self-recognition” bail over his absence from trial.
Justice Musa Umar set bail at N200 million with two sureties. One surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Ondo State. The second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The court also ordered Sowore to surrender his international passport to the deputy registrar for safekeeping.
Both sureties are to be verified by the prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, before Sowore’s release. Defence counsel, R.O. Adakole, asked the court to release Sowore to him so he could retrieve his passport from the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, but the judge maintained the passport deposit condition.
On June 16, 2026, Justice Umar revoked Sowore’s December bail after he failed to appear for trial on charges of cybercrime and criminal defamation. The judge then issued a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered him remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending a ruling on his motion to set aside the revocation.
The court also dismissed Sowore’s application seeking the judge’s recusal on grounds of alleged bias.
The Department of State Services, DSS, is prosecuting Sowore over alleged criminal defamation. The charge stems from posts on his official X and Facebook accounts in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Justice Umar adjourned the case to July 6, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
