Sowore condemned the ongoing trial, calling it a frivolous and abusive criminal charge filed by the “illegal” Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Civil rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has stated that he is not afraid of being jailed by Justice Musa Suleiman Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
This comes after the judge threatened him with contempt of court in what Sowore described as an attempt to gag him and his lawyers from mounting a strong defence.
Sowore condemned the ongoing trial, calling it a frivolous and abusive criminal charge filed by the “illegal” Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The Nigerian police have accused him of cybercrime, a charge he has previously dismissed as contentious and a politically motivated witch-hunt.
Tensions flared in court during the contentious hearing on Monday when Justice Liman appeared to cast doubt on Sowore’s request to have his passport released so he could visit his wife and children in the United States before returning in April to continue his trial.
As the hearing progressed, Justice Liman scrutinised the documents and exhibits presented to the court, searching for reasons to question Sowore’s request.
He specifically asked why Sowore had not listed the names of his wife and children, prompting Sowore to express frustration, stating that the judge’s stance was becoming ridiculous and aligning with the weak opposition presented by the prosecution.
At the previous hearing, Justice Liman had indicated that he was not opposed to granting Sowore permission to travel but requested documentation as proof.
In response, Sowore informed the court that he already had a travel ticket, and the judge instructed him to attach the necessary documents.
However, during today’s (Monday’s) hearing, the federal judge turned hostile toward Sowore, threatening to jail him for speaking in the courtroom while embarking on a cynical repudiation of his reasons for seeking the temporary release of his passport.
Justice Liman, who is presiding over the alleged criminal defamation case filed by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun against Sowore for referring to him as an “Illegal IGP,” appeared to take on the role of the prosecution.
With the Nigerian police arriving in court poorly prepared to defend their opposition to Sowore’s passport request, the judge took it upon himself to challenge the request.
The activist reaffirmed his Nigerian citizenship, stating that he would never flee over what he called the “farcical charges” filed against him by the “Illegal IGP, Kayode Egbetokun.”
He added that he was prepared to go to jail if the court attempted to gag him over his request.
The altercation between Sowore and Justice Liman began when the judge insisted that if Sowore was travelling to visit his wife and children in the U.S., he should have listed their names in his motion to confirm their residence and location.
In response, Sowore criticised the judge, accusing him of reducing the court to a platform for frivolous grandstanding rather than a place committed to delivering justice.
Justice Liman, however, continued to question the authenticity of the documents attached to Sowore’s application, stating that they did not sufficiently prove he had family in the U.S.
Sowore made these remarks on Monday in Abuja during the hearing of a motion filed by his lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, requesting the temporary release of his passport.
The request was to allow him to travel to the US to visit his family and undergo a routine medical check-up.
Speaking from the defendant’s box, Sowore observed how the judge continuously dismissed the evidence attached to his application.
Justice Liman systematically rejected all the reasons presented by Sowore, insisting they were not tenable and convincing.
He particularly argued that Sowore’s affidavits failed to mention the names of his wife and children, which he claimed was necessary to persuade the court.
The judge also questioned the validity of Sowore’s flight booking email, claiming it was not in a format he recognised. Initially, he even lied that Sowore’s name was not on the ticket, only to backtrack when it was pointed out to him.
He then shifted focus, claiming that the airline’s name was missing. When informed that it was a U.S. carrier, United Airlines, he misinterpreted “UNITED POLARIS” on the ticket, suggesting it was not from the airline.
Sowore then enlightened the judge that “United Polaris” referred to the airline’s business class seating and that the ticket was an official e-ticket issued by the airline.
This followed a claim by the police lawyer, Ibrahim Mohammed, who stated that he had asked a friend at Abuja airport about the ticket and was told it was for a trip to Uganda, not the U.S.
However, once it became clear to Justice Liman that the ticket was indeed for a U.S. trip, he shifted his focus, insisting that Sowore must provide a comprehensive medical history and a letter from his doctor in the U.S. to justify his request.
In response, Sowore’s lead attorney, Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana’s Chambers, argued that a medical report was unnecessary since Sowore was not sick and was not seeking medical treatment.
He explained that what had been submitted as evidence was a text message from Sowore’s primary care team at Columbia University, requesting him to schedule a routine medical visit upon his arrival in the U.S.
At this point, Sowore asked Justice Liman for further clarification on the matter, but the judge refused, stating that he could not speak for himself.
Sowore said, “My Lord, of course, I could speak for myself. I am a citizen of this country, and I’m the one on trial before you and if I cannot get justice from the court then the court can as well throw me into jail.
“I’m speaking to guide the court; Lagos has an airport code (LOS) and Washington Dulles Airport – my point of first arrival – has an airport code (IAD). How could you then believe the police lawyer that this ticket before you is for going to Uganda? Do you think I can lie to you?
“For your information, I will not run away from my country.”
The JUST US system is rigged against justice itself! pic.twitter.com/mZvsrrG9fB
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) March 3, 2025
Further attempts by Justice Liman to silence Sowore did not seem to faze the activist.
However, the judge eventually stated that the court held no personal grudge against anyone but was only interested in documents he could clearly understand.
In his submission, Abubakar Marshal argued that his client had a legal right to see his wife and children, which was one of the key reasons for requesting the release of his passport.
He reminded the court that Sowore had previously faced similar politically motivated charges in the same court, which were eventually dismissed.
Given that Sowore did not flee the country in 2019 when facing trumped-up treason-related charges, Marshal asserted that his client would return to Nigeria to continue his trial.
He urged the court to grant the request, emphasising that Sowore had provided valid reasons to justify it.
However, the prosecution opposed the motion, claiming—without evidence—that the message from Sowore’s doctor was a bulk SMS rather than a formal email.
After a heated argument over the motion, the judge adjourned the matter to Tuesday, March 4, 2025, for a ruling.
It will be recalled that on January 30, 2025, the court granted Sowore bail under stringent conditions, including a N10 million bond and the requirement to surrender his passport. Justice Liman, who has consistently targeted Sowore’s passport, had previously stated that the activist must seek the court’s approval whenever he needed to travel abroad.
Sowore was arraigned on a 16-count amended charge but pleaded not guilty to all allegations filed by Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun.
The charges were brought against him after he honoured an invitation from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) regarding his public remarks referring to Egbetokun as an “Illegal IGP.”
After the court hearing, Sowore addressed the press, reiterating that Egbetokun’s tenure as Inspector General of Police had expired and describing the criminal trial against him as a ruse.
Meanwhile, the Take It Back Movement has declared tomorrow (Tuesday) a protest day within the court premises, vowing to demand the release of Sowore’s passport.
